Bar Room Angel
by vodkavamp76
Summary: A night out leaves Bella terrified at the hands of a predator. The devil will try to make her pay for daring to turn him down, while an angel will capture her heart in ways she never imagined.  AH BxE, M for lang/lemons/some violence. Expansion of OS
1. Chapter 1

**All publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer, I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I own none of it, however I do own a rather extensive DVD collection and a half-finished packet of Cadbury Chocolate Fingers.**

**A/N - So after receiving such amazing feedback from people who read my one-shot, I decided to take the plunge and expand it into a proper story. I've broken down the original piece into 2 chapters and made a few tweaks, added a bit more where I think there was missing info/dialogue. Hopefully you'll be pleased with what I've done/am doing. **

**Big thanks to my fab beta momma2fan for turning the first 2 chapters around so quickly. **

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 1:<strong>

_I've just seen a face,_

_I can't forget the time or place_

_Where we, just met._

_**I've Just Seen a Face by The Beatles**_

**BPOV:**

I'm not quite sure how I managed to get roped into this night out with Angela, Jessica, and Lauren, it's not as if I'm overly friendly with many of my colleagues, there's only really Angela that I have anything in common with or consider myself to be that close to. I've been working at Hunter Publishing for the last six months, as an editor's assistant and I love it, but then I've always been a bit of a bookworm and to be surrounded by the written word is my idea of heaven (well apart from a carton of Baskin Robbins' Hokey Pokey after a particularly stressful day at work – but hey, I'm a girl…..sue me!).

I was due to meet them at eight, at a bar called Eclipse and looking at my watch I was late (thanks to a deadline that my boss was trying to meet which meant I'd had to stay back at the office – but seeing as I enjoy my job it wasn't really a chore). I texted Angela to let her know I would be there soon, and stopped to check myself in the mirror before I left my apartment. Tonight was likely to be a major fashion-fest for Jessica and Lauren who were both secretaries at work and dressed to impress at the office, so I couldn't imagine tonight being any different. Looking at my reflection, I didn't look too bad for a night in a bar given that I'm not one for doing the whole glam thing. I'm nowhere near sexy enough to pull it off, but the outfit I'd pulled together didn't look too bad – black skinny jeans, a midnight blue fine knit off the shoulder sweater with a thin strapped tank top underneath and my favourite shoes, a pair of patent black Mary Janes. I'd finished the outfit off with a chunky silver necklace and some simple hoop earrings, leaving hair down as it was far less effort. For me this was a good look, I just hoped that I didn't break my neck in these shoes. My last name might be Swan but, graceful is one of the last words people would use to describe me.

Satisfied that I wouldn't be too much of a visual embarrassment, I grabbed my keys, lip gloss and purse and headed out of the door ready to face whatever the night would throw at me. I was pretty sure that we would spend the evening listening to Jessica and Lauren critiquing everyone woman in the bar, ogling every attractive man there was and making sure that Angela and I were fully up to date on current office gossip – joy!

To say I got roped into going out tonight didn't actually mean I wasn't glad I was going out. In actual fact, tonight might be just what I needed to blot out the latest round of harassment from the owner's lazy ass son James. Honestly, he walks round the office like he's the one in charge, but doesn't appear to actually do any work. It's become a daily occurrence recently where he will find some lame excuse to talk to me and each time he'll make suggestive comments about my appearance or push me to go on a date with him. I always politely decline, not least because I don't find him attractive, but more importantly he just creeps me out. The problem is, I can't exactly complain to Human Resources about it, after all, he is the owner's son and I doubt they would believe my word against his, and I don't want to resign because it took me too long after graduating to secure this job, and I would struggle to find another role like this with my lack of experience.

I'm snapped out of my musings on 'James the Sleaze', as I've affectionately nicknamed him, by my cell phone alerting me to a text. It's from Angela letting me know that Jessica had gotten us priority entry to the bar as there was a band playing tonight. That's a bit of a result, it means I don't have to queue to get in which will save my poor feet in these shoes, so I head for the security guy at the front of the line and give him my name to check off on his clipboard, it's time to bring on the alcohol!

**EPOV:**

This wasn't exactly how I planned to spend my Friday night, especially since I'd been in the office since six this morning and was totally wiped, but what can you do when your older brother calls you up and begs you to work his bar because one of his staff decided to run off to Vegas and marry his girlfriend? So being the good sibling that I am, I agreed and told him I'd be there as soon as I had cleaned myself up and grabbed a bite to eat. Things at work were pretty full on, and my case load just seemed to be growing by the day which was leaving me exhausted, but I guess that serves me right for going into corporate law, the never ending pile of contracts. It felt good to wash the grime of the office away and the hot water helped to ease the tension in my shoulders that I was feeling and by the time I stepped out of the shower I felt energised enough to survive helping Emett out at Eclipse tonight. After towelling myself dry I walked over to my closet, pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans and a tight black t-shirt, it was a simple look but it meant that I could showcase the ink on my arms.

You see I'm a bit of a walking contradiction, by day I'm a lawyer in starched shirts and designer suits, but the moment I'm out of that office door, the real me comes to the surface via my tattoos and my music. Personally I blame my love of body art on my other brother Jasper seeing as he has created each of the five masterpieces on my body, and my control freak nature wouldn't have it any other way. Jasper studied fine art at college, but after a drunken night out with his roomies he had our family crest on his shoulder and he was hooked. Upon graduation he decided that a career in a gallery was not for him, so he trained to be a tattoo artist with the guy who inked him then used part of his trust fund to open Cullen Ink in our home town of Seattle (a nice little nod to the business world he was so keen to avoid). That's the other thing about us Cullen boys, we're trust fund babies, but you'd never know it if you compared us to the children of other people in our social circle, in fact if we'd had any other parents I suspect we'd have been disinherited! Luckily for us Carlisle and Esme Cullen are firm believers in letting their children forge their own path, and would not place any expectations on us in terms of what we wanted to do with our lives. As long as we were happy, healthy, behaved like gentlemen (Mom's stipulation) and didn't break the law (that one was all Dad) then they considered their parental duties fulfilled. However, I appear to have gotten off topic.

Since Jasper had opened up shop I'd gotten our family crest on my right bicep, a Celtic cross on my left bicep to acknowledge my Irish heritage, I had some of the music score for Hallelujah running down the right side of my ribcage because of my love of music (Jeff Buckley's version always resonated with me as a teenager so it seemed fitting), over my heart I had 'Dum Spiro Spero' which was Latin for 'while I breathe, I hope' and the fifth one…well, that's really personal and was only finished a week ago and hurt like a motherfucker due to the size of it.

I looked at the clock and realised that the bar would be open already so I needed to get a move on otherwise Emett would chew my ass out for being late. Grabbing a slice of cold pizza from the fridge (did you really think that I had the time or the inclination to cook?) I snatched my keys and wallet up from the countertop and stuffed them in my pockets. I figured my combat boots would do for spending a night behind the bar, so I pulled them on and picked up my favourite hoody from the coat rack and bolted out of the door thinking that it was really fortunate that Em's bar was only a couple of blocks away from my apartment so I'd be there before things got too crazy.

This wasn't the first time I'd helped out at Eclipse, and I doubted it would be the last, especially if Em's plans for expansion were anything to go by – he'd be the Donald Trump of the bar world in the next decade and I didn't doubt one bit that he'd achieve it. The only drawback to doing this kind of favour for him was that I had to deal with the women that came into the bar looking for a hook up with one of the eligible guys who tended to frequent the place. I just prayed that Tanya wouldn't be there tonight, cause that girl didn't seem to understand the meaning of the word 'no', and with that thought pushed firmly to the side I arrived at Eclipse. I gave Jake, who was working the door tonight a quick nod and bolted inside, ready for whatever the night or the customers would throw at me.

**BPOV:**

Walking through the door of the bar, I scanned the room for the girls and spotted they had grabbed a booth, and judging by the number of empty glasses on the table, I had some catching up to do. Rather than make extra work for myself, I gave them a quick wave hello and pointed to the bar where I was heading to get myself a drink. Things were starting to get busy and the waiting staff were yelling orders at the bartenders so I stood at the bar patiently, not really making eye contact with anyone, because all I really wanted to do was get my drink and join my party, instead I just scanned around taking in the sight of the bar filling up.

From behind the dark wooden counter in front of me a throat cleared loudly, so I looked up and opened my mouth to order my drink but found myself speechless. In front of me was quite possibly the most beautiful specimen of man I had ever seen. I kid you not, this guy was stunning from his perfectly sculpted cheekbones, well defined jaw with a hint of stubble, sparkling green eyes framed by thick long lashes and the most pouty lips that quirked up in a half smile, half smirk. His hair was….don't even get me started on the hair, it was all sorts of crazy brown with hints of copper and red, sticking out at crazy angles that looked made him look like he'd been freshly fucked, but had probably been styled that way by design. As my mouth continued to flap while I tried to recover the power of speech, my eyes trailed over what else of him I could see and believe me it did not disappoint, he had a wonderfully broad chest and shoulders wrapped in a tight black t-shirt and then I spotted his arms…oh God he had tattoos – YUM!

I think I might have just drooled a little.

"Can I get you anything sweetheart?" He asked with a voice that was a wonderful combination of smooth silk and just a hint of gruffness.

"I, umm….." I spluttered out, and I swear he smirked at me. "B...bottle of Corona please," I finally managed to spit out with a weak smile, while thinking how pathetic it was that I couldn't even order a drink from this guy.

He placed the bottle on the bar with a wink as I handed over the money to pay and I blushed furiously as his hand touched mine to give me my change, he just winked at me and went on to serve the next customer. Walking over to join the girls at our table, I smiled to myself because what girl wouldn't be happy that a hot guy winked at them, even if they were just being polite to a paying customer (oh god that sounded seven shades of wrong Bella!).

"Hi Bella, you made it," greeted Angela with a warm smile.

"We thought we'd order pitchers of cocktails for the night so we don't have to go to the bar as much while the band plays, but I see you're too good for joining in with the rest of us" snarked Lauren as she gave my beer the stink eye.

I don't understand why she has to be such a bitch about the littlest of things, or make assumptions about people she doesn't really know, because I was more than down for sharing some cocktails with them to wash away the aches of today.

"Cocktails sound good Lauren, I just had a killer of a day and wanted something cool to quench my thirst and get me started. Sorry I'm late by the way, but you know what deadlines can be like," I replied, knowing full well that Lauren wouldn't know what a deadline was if it jumped up and bit her in the ass. If I'm brutally honest, I don't have anything in common with her. She's lazy at work, and she can be a grade A bitch, but she's friends with Jess, and while Jess can be a gossip and a bit of an elitist snob in the office, she can also be quite sweet and is really helpful in the office.

I squeezed into the booth next to Angela and said a quick hi to Jess who smiled at me awkwardly, obviously uncomfortable due to Lauren's unnecessary comments.

"So what time does the band start playing?" I asked our group.

"They're due on stage in about half an hour," replied Jess with a wide grin and a slight giggle.

"Any particular reason you're so keen to see this band Jess?" asked Angela with a raised eyebrow. There was something going on that I obviously didn't know about.

"Yeah, the bass player in the band is that geek from accounts…Mark?" snipped Lauren with a look of disgust.

Jess just blushed furiously and mumbled "His name is Mike…and he's not a geek" before looking down at the table intently.

I turned to look at Angela with wide eyes but she just gave me a knowing smile and leaned in to whisper "Jess kind of has the hots for Mike, but he's either totally oblivious or not interested. From what I can tell, it's the first one, the guy is totally clueless so she may just need to drape herself naked across his desk and play with his calculator to get his attention!" Why couldn't she have said that after I'd finished taking a drink from my bottle, cause I just about sprayed beer out of my nose I was laughing so hard.

"Besides…" Lauren chipped in, "Who would want a hamburger, when there's a prime piece of rump steak at the bar looking our way?"

We all turned our heads in the direction of the bar at the same time to see the fuck-hot barman who served me staring at our table intently with what can only be described as the sexiest smirk I have ever seen. Instantly my cheeks started to flush, while Angela let out a low whistle, Jess just gaped at him but Lauren was the first to break the spell by speaking.

"Well obviously he's checking me out, he's been staring at me for the last half hour, and why wouldn't he?" she asked around the table as if she was queen bee and we were just her drones. Actually, come to think about it, that's probably exactly how she viewed herself given that she dressed like she was on the cover of a magazine all the time, her make-up was always immaculate, and I swear she's had a boob job because nobody has tits that big and perky when you're a size four without a little assistance.

By the time she'd finished her little put down, Mr Fuck-Hot as I had mentally christened him, had moved to serve another customer and we resumed our chatting while we waited for the band to get on stage.

**EPOV:**

She was absolutely gorgeous, no two ways about it. Stunning mahogany brown hair that hung past her shoulders in waves, eyes like pools of molten chocolate, plump lips with a hint of gloss, although if she carried on chewing her bottom lip like that they'd be blood red from her piercing the skin. Oh her skin was the most glorious creamy shade of ivory that made you want to just reach out and stroke it just to see if it felt as soft and silky as it looked. It was so damned cute when she stumbled over her words when I asked her what she wanted to drink, and when I handed back her change my fingertips brushed her hand and I swear I felt this tingle that went right through me like the buzz of electricity. It was really weird and I couldn't explain it, but I kind of liked it.

I've somehow over the years earned the reputation of being a bit of a player because I don't do girlfriends, much to Jazz and Em's amusement. It was never my intention, nor was it a label that I enjoyed. It's just that after I got my heart trampled on in college by she who shall not be named, I was reluctant to give my feelings away to another woman, and it kind of snowballed from there. Don't get me wrong, I didn't avoid women altogether, I'm a lawyer, not a monk after all. So on occasion I would charm my way into a ladies bed to scratch the itch for some much needed release, but it was those intermittent dalliances that meant I got a lot of attention from women who didn't like taking no for an answer. Honestly, some of their reactions were bordering on the absurd, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why they all thought I was so special….was it the challenge of trying to hook me for more than a roll in the sheets, or was it that word had gotten around from the women I had been with that I was nothing less than a force to be reckoned with in the bedroom department? Sounds conceited I know, but I am damn good and I take pride in my skills, sue me! Just because I know what I'm doing, didn't mean that I slept with every woman that propositioned me, far from it, I still had standards and preferred to be selective which was why I hadn't slept with Tanya, she was a needy, trust fund baby looking for a husband who would keep her in the manner to which she felt she should be accustomed (read that as the manner that Daddy had spent twenty something years providing but was not going to continue till she was a spinster!). She'd hit on all three of us over the years, and was getting mighty frustrated that her options were running out now that Em had married Rose and Jazz was getting ready to propose to Alice. That left me, and she obviously thought I was ripe for the picking, well sorry lady, but this apple is staying firmly on the tree as far as you're concerned!

Anyway, I digress once again. The brunette beauty walked over to join her party, so I took the opportunity to check her out from the back, and sweet Jesus, it did not disappoint. Shapely legs encased in tight black denim leading up to a pert ass that I would give my right arm to squeeze…err make that my left arm, I'm right handed! On her feet she had what could only be described as 'fuck me shoes', they were shiny black high heels that would look amazing wrapped around my…whoa, hold the front page Cullen, you don't even know this chick and already you've got her naked apart from the shoes. Get a grip! She doesn't look like one night stand material so it would be a waste of time.

"Hey Fuckhead, are you gonna stare at women all night, or are you actually planning on doing some work for me?" Em whisper yelled from beside me.

"Alright you ass, just remember I'm doing you the favour. There are other things I could be doing on a Friday night after putting in a twelve hour day you know? And besides, it was just one woman dude," I shot back at him with a scowl.

"Fair enough bro, no need to get your panties in a bunch. Which little beauty are we talking about then?"

"The cute little brunette at the table by the juke box my man, she's the sweetest thing I've seen in my life, and she's wearing a killer pair of shoes too!" I replied knowing that Em understood my nuance for female footwear, not a fetish as such, but a kick ass pair on the right legs could bring me to my knees like a starving man begging for his next meal.

Em let out a low whistle, "Whew man, that girl is smoking! You gonna go for it?"

"Nah man, you know my stand on things. She doesn't look like a one-time deal kind of chick"

"Not in the slightest bro, but who says it only has to be a one night? Maybe she's woman enough to finally make your stone cold heart beat once again," he chuckled, so I threw a bar cloth at him and went back to serving customers.

I spent the next thirty minutes mulling over what my brother had said to me about the beautiful bar girl, which I'd shortened to BBG in my head, and stealing glances across the room at her. At one point the group of girls she was with all turned and looked at me so I made eye contact with BBG and smirked, to which she blushed furiously and turned away. One of the other girls in the group was still staring at me like I was something to eat and licking her lips suggestively, trust me lady, never gonna happen… prefer my women au natural if you get my drift.

Looking at the clock it was nearly nine so the band should be on stage shortly. This should be interesting as a guy we went to high school with plays bass for them. He works for Hunter Publishing these days, and while he's still as much of a geek as he was back in the day, he's also a pretty decent guy so I was looking forward to hearing them play.

"Any chance of getting some service around here?" A voice from my left sneered. I looked up to see half a dozen perfectly manicured guys wearing starched button down shirts immaculately ironed chinos and Timberland loafers…hell, could these trust fund boys be any more stereotypical? He looked me up and down with a look of severe disdain for how I was dressed

"Sure buddy, what can I get ya?" I answered with a smile.

"A round of Buds for me and my friends," he announced with an air of superiority. I just laughed to myself while I got their beers, because not only was their taste in beer nearly as bad as their wardrobe choices, but I also knew exactly who this ass was. Not only had I been forced to socialise with this idiot as a young child because his parents had been members of the same country club as ours, but my law firm had cleaned up his mess on a number of occasions when he'd screwed up writer's contracts at his daddy's publishing company. Ladies and gentlemen, James Hunter was in the building, so run for your lives because he thinks he's something special and the world owes his lazy ass something! The funny thing was he obviously had no idea who I was as he continued to talk to his pals.

"The standards in this place seem to have already gone to shit," he announced loudly glancing back at me.

"I mean, look at the state of the bar staff," he jerked his thumb in my direction while his friends guffawed (yeah, I said 'guffawed', bunch of jumped up snobs!).

"Cullen is obviously struggling with this place if he has to employ social rejects," he spat out.

Em looked up at me from his end of the bar, opening his mouth to put James right, but I just gave him a look and shook my head at him. I'd have the last laugh before the night was over.

"Why are we here again James?" Another guy in the group asked.

"Entertainment of sorts and a little game of cat and mouse," he explained cryptically, while the rest of his gang just looked at him confused.

He turned and handed over his credit card, instructing me to open a tab, then turned back to his friends to explain that he wanted to see Newton perform in his band so he could rip him to pieces on Monday morning in the office, and that he'd heard from one of the secretaries at work that 'the hot piece of skirt' that he's had his eye on at work was coming here tonight, and if he gets his way he'd be leaving here with her and 'tapping that' before the night was out. Gee what a charmer folks!

The band had just come on stage and things in the bar were starting to get a bit noisy as they started on their first number, and for a covers group they didn't sound too bad at all in my book. As I handed James' card back to him, he spotted something across the room that made his mouth turn up at the corners into a creepy ass smile, "Send the next round of drinks for the booth by the juke box with my compliments," he ordered.

I nodded in ascent, muttered a quick "yes sir" and moved to the waitress station to prepare the drinks. If frat boy was paying then the girls were getting a decent cocktail out of him. I prepared a pitcher of whatever girly shit they were drinking last time, making sure I used double measures of top shelf spirits and threw in a round of tequila slammers for good measure, while chuckling quietly to myself.

"What's got you in such a good mood Eddie?" grinned Rosalie who was waitressing tonight with the bar being so busy.

"Douchebag at the end of the bar wants to send these drinks to table eight with his compliments," I smirked as I slid the tray over to her. She took one look at James and his band of brothers who were jeering at the band and hurling insults, raised one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows at me as if to say 'WTF?' and took the drink laden tray from me and moved gracefully through the crowd towards its intended recipients. I went back to serving people while thinking that I would love to be a fly on the wall when the girls received their drink to see their reaction, my money was on Little Miss Plastic being his intended prey for the evening.

**BPOV:**

The band had just started to play, I had a nice little beer buzz going on and was actually beginning to think that I was having a good time, when Angela leaned in to the table and announced in a loud whisper, "Don't look now, but James Hunter just walked in."

Fuck my life! It's bad enough that I have to share the same office space with the creep, why does he have to invade my night out too. "Looks like I'm going to need a shit load more alcohol," I groaned out, while Angela looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

Angela was the only person in our group who knew of the issues I had with James pestering me in the office, so I wasn't surprised when the blonde glamour-puss waitress arrived at our table with a tray full of drinks, courtesy of Creeptastic Hunter and his cronies at the bar. Oh goody! We all expressed our thanks to the waitress who gave us a brilliant smile and told us that the bartender had made sure the cocktail jug was loaded with the good stuff. Jess still had her eyes firmly glued on the stage watching Mike and his band perform a pretty good rendition of Learn To Fly by Foo Fighters, Angela and I just exchanged a quick grimace at the thought of what James might want in return for his 'kind gesture' while Lauren rambled on and on about how generous it was of James, and perhaps he was interested in her, because he always makes time to talk to her in the office, and is always kind and flirty with her. I groaned internally as I knew full well what James was after, but it wasn't something that Lauren had to offer, oh no, it was something he wanted from me that there was no way in hell I was going to give.

I wasn't about to turn down free alcohol though, not a chance. In fact, I think it was the least Mr Hunter owed me after he'd cornered me up against the fridge in the break room this morning, with his face so close to mine I could almost taste his hot, stale coffee breath. "You know Bella, I don't know why you're resisting fate so much. We could be so good together, if only you'd admit what you really feel for me," he murmured while stroking one of his sweaty fingers down the side of my face. I did feel something if I was totally honest, but it was nothing short of revulsion at his sweaty touch and I think I might have thrown up a little bit in my mouth. Thankfully the sound of footsteps in the corridor made him step away from him and I was able to beat a hasty retreat back to my desk. Yes, strong alcohol was definitely the answer to today's problems and those tequila shots were looking mighty fine at this minute.

I was drawn out of my flashback by Lauren loudly rambling on about whether she should go over and personally thank Mr Hunter for his generosity. Her tone was laced with innuendo and she was licking her lips once again. Honestly, this girl has neither shame, nor taste if she thought that James was a prize catch…prize idiot is more like it, but who was I to burst her bubble?

"Ladies, what shall we drink to?" I decided to change the conversation so that we could get back to enjoying the band.

"To hot men!" squealed Lauren as she looked in the direction of the bar, cue eye rolls from the rest of us, because honestly she was like a dog in heat.

"To hot men" we all said before licking salt off our hands, chugging back the shots and then furiously sucking down the lemon juice to quell the after burn. I don't normally drink tequila because it does ugly, ugly things to me, not to mention it gives me selective amnesia, only it's Mr Patron that selects what I'm allowed to remember.

The band were starting to wind their set down, and announced that they would be doing one last number, and I'd bet ten bucks that it would be a slow rock ballad if the rest of their set had been anything to go by. The music had been really enjoyable and the crowd had really gotten into singing along, Right on cue, the opening bars of Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls which brought a wry smile to me lips, this song was one of my all-time favourites. I started to get the feeling that I was being watched, but couldn't figure out whether it was a good kind of being watched, or the creepy kind, so I slowly turned my head to scan around the bar. From the corner of my eye, I could see The Sleaze looking my way with a glint in his eye, and a sinister smirk on his lips. God this guy was really starting to make me feel really uncomfortable. I started to look away, and he lifted his hand up and gave a slow creepy wave which sent a chill down my spine. As I was turning back towards the table I also spotted the hot barman looking in my direction with a scowl, but when he noticed I was looking at him his perfect lips morphed into a beautiful smile. He winked once again and my breath hitched before I whipped my head back to the table.

The final chords of the song played out and the bar erupted in rounds of applause for the guys on stage. Jess was on her feet cheering and whooping as loud as she could. Boy has she got it bad.

As the noise died down she turned and asked "Does anyone want to go talk to the guys from the band? I'd like to congratulate Mike on how well they did."

Lauren scoffed at her "Sorry hun, I'm not going to stand there while you make puppy dog eyes at boy from Accounts. I need another drink and I think I should go thank Mr Hunter personally for our drinks. It doesn't hurt to be friendly with the man who will run the empire one day."

I stifled a giggle at that thought, cause truthfully the only thing he'd run would be the company straight into the ground once Daddy handed it over to him! Angela politely declined and agreed to head off with Jessica to find the band, so that just left me and I was almost ready to call it a night so neither option was that appealing to me at this point.

"Sorry Lauren, I'm going to head out in a minute, it's been a long day and all. "I'll head to the bar with you though so I can grab a bottle of water for my walk home." I said. I was being truthful, but I also wanted to put some distance between me and James. There's only so far that he would go in the confines of the office, but in a public place it was fair game, and I didn't want to be in the middle of his game of cat and mouse.

I said my goodbyes to Angela and Jessica, telling them that I'd really enjoyed my evening and then headed towards the bar with Lauren.

**EPOV:**

The band was on stage and sounding pretty good. Fair enough they were just a covers band, but they knew what got the crowd going, and that was ultimately good for business as far as Em was concerned. The place was now packed, people were standing three deep at the bar, so Rose had come off the floor in the hopes that we'd keep the crowd happy and nicely topped up on the drinks front, and for the most the atmosphere was really good.

Now that Rose was working the middle section of the bar, I was stuck at the end where James and his obnoxious posse of friends were hanging out. To say that the conversation I was able to overhear was intellectually stimulating and challenging would be a pretty gross exaggeration. So far I'd listened to them discuss whose yacht cost the most, what cars they were bought by their parents for the 16th, 18th and 21st birthdays and which exclusive resorts they would be holidaying at over the summer season. Jesus, I was tempted to suggest that they all whip their dicks out, slap them on the bar and check who had the biggest!

It had given me great joy that they'd been unable to pull the band's performance apart, unfortunately that meant that they had eventually moved on to appraising the women in the bar.

"Have you seen the blonde with the awesome rack behind the bar? I'd love it if she'd take my order." One of them sniggered.

Did they really think that kind of innuendo impressed ladies enough to get them to jump into bed with them. I know that girls find humour a turn on, but please, there needs to be some finesse in the delivery, and some actual charm to back it up. Thankfully, my prayers were answered with this one because Rose had overheard him. She narrowed her eyes at him, then plastered a smile on her face, leaned over the bar and tapped the cheese ball who'd delivered the killer line on the shoulder.

"Honey, trust me, you might think my rack looks awesome, but you'll never get to feel just how truly awesome it is. I'm sure my husband would be more than happy to provide verification for you though." she said sweetly while pointing down the bar towards Emmett who was standing there with a shit eating grin on his face, nodding enthusiastically. She blew the guy a kiss and then walked away shaking her head, while Em just cracked up laughing. My brother may not come across as the smartest guy around (even if he has a Business Administration degree from UDub), but he was smart enough to know that his wife loved him, and that those idiots didn't stand a chance. Secretly I think he liked it because he could get all smug about the fact he was married to a 'real fine, smoking hot piece of ass,' as he so eloquently puts it. Gee, Mom and Dad must be so proud that their boy grew up to be such a gentleman!

As the group erupted into howls of laughter at this guy getting served by Rose, James spoke up, "No, she's too obvious, besides, blondes don't do it for me…I'm much more attracted to petite brunettes with long legs, a tight ass, perky tits and a plump set of lips that will look spectacular when they're wrapped around my cock."

"Any brunette in particular?" asked one of the group, I think he was called Laurent.

"Yeah, there's this chick at work who is just begging for it." He pointed towards the table where BBG and her friends were sitting. "She's been resisting so far, but I reckon before the night is out, she'll be unable to resist my charms. I mean what's not to like, I'm good looking and heir to a publishing empire, which should be more than enough to make her putty in my hands."

So I'd been wrong in my original suspicion of who he had his eye on. That left BBG or the girl she was sitting next to, who was pretty in a librarian kind of way with those wicked horn rimmed style glasses, but nowhere near how Hunter had described his prey. Nope, he was after BBG, there was no mistaking it. I just prayed she had more taste and common sense than to leave with him tonight.

The band wrapped up their set with a great rendition of Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls, a personal favourite of mine, and I moved on to serve another customer. Out of the corner of my eye I saw BBG and her group of friends get up from their table. The librarian look-a-like and their fourth companion headed towards the stage, while the blonde and BBG started walking towards the bar and blondie's eyes were firmly fixed on James and his crew. I didn't hear what was said when she reached them, but my head snapped up when James yelled out, "Hey Bella, are you gonna come join us too?"

He wasn't wrong, BBG was beautiful, but did he really think that slipping a bit of Italian in there would put him onto a winner? Blondie's eyes narrowed at James' words and snapped to where BBG was standing at the bar being served a bottle of water by Rose.

"No thanks James, I'm heading home I'm afraid," she replied, as he started sauntering over to where she was standing.

"Awwww, come on beautiful, you need to come and thank me properly for the drinks I bought you and your girlfriends earlier," he bounced back with a filthy smirk while catching hold of her wrist as she tried to walk away. Yeah buddy, we all know what kind of thanking you are expecting and trust me, this chick has more class in her little finger than you will ever have.

"Sorry but no, I really am tired and I want to go home," she said quietly while trying to pull herself free from his grip.

He really didn't seem to want to take 'no' for an answer, which didn't surprise me knowing his reputation and what I'd heard.

"Well sweetheart, how about we head back to your place and continue with a little 'party a deux' if you know what I mean," he drawled. BBG looked like she was going to be sick as she squirmed to get away, so deciding enough was enough, I walked up to where they were standing and slammed my hand down on the bar.

Both of them looked up at me in surprise, then a look of relief washed over her beautiful face as I turned to James and snarled, "Sir, I think you need to listen to the lady. If she said no, then accept it and walk away." James glared at me while BBG gave me a small smile of thanks as he released her arm. I smiled back at her before she turned and walked away towards the bathrooms. Once she'd gone he headed back towards his group of friends, but stopped halfway and turned to me, his tone laced with venom, "I wouldn't try wasting your time on that one, she's nothing but a tease. Besides, the bitch will be mine before the night is over."

Something about what he said bothered me, like the poor woman didn't have a choice and he would just take what he wanted. If one thing Esme Cullen drilled into her boys was that you were nothing if not a perfect gentleman to a lady, whether you were spending one night, or offering to spend your whole life with them. Anything less was just unacceptable, and despite my preference for the one night option, I couldn't agree with her more. If a chick said no, she meant no, and you just had to accept it, just like they should accept it if a guy said no to them.

I was due a break, so I decided I would try to catch her before she left the bar to make sure she was okay, and perhaps suggest taking a taxi home after what James had shared with me. I just hoped she hadn't already left the building yet.

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><p><strong>So there you go, we're off and rolling with this being a multi-chapter story. Chapter 2 will be posted shortly and feedback is always gratefully received.<strong>

**Thanks for reading guys. **


	2. Chapter 2

**All publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer, I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things, however I do own some very warm gloves and some nice thick socks (good job really - cos it's bloody freezing outside!).**

**A/N – not really much to say seeing as I'm posting this so quickly after the first chapter. Thanks once again to momma2fan for her speedy beta-ing!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 2:<strong>

_I'll seek you out, flay you alive  
>One more word and you won't survive<br>And I'm not scared of your stolen power  
>I see right through you any hour<em>

_**Eyes On Fire by Blue Foundation**_

**BPOV:**

After James finally released my arm, I was keen to get away from him, but I needed the bathroom before I headed back to my apartment. To be honest, when I got home, I fully intended on taking a shower before I went to bed, just having his hand on my wrist had made me feel all kinds of dirty (and not in a good way). I had been so relieved when the guy from the bar stepped in and made James let go of me, when my eyes met his I offered him a smile of thanks, hoping that he would be able to tell from my face that I was truly grateful for his intervention. Trying hard not to blush when he gave me a devastating smile back, I scurried off in the direction of the bathroom, determined to do my business and get the hell out of dodge before James had the chance to grab me again. Hopefully I'd be able to catch Mr Fuck-Hot and offer him a few words of thanks on my way out, it was the least I could do. Fingers crossed I'd be able to string a coherent sentence together and not make myself look like a total fool in front of him, but then again it's not like I stood a chance of having anything more than a conversation with the guy, he was way out of my league.

Stepping out of the bathroom stall, I quickly washed my hands in the basin and dried them on a paper towel then re-applied my lip gloss in the mirror. Looking forward to getting home and getting some well-deserved sleep, I wasn't particularly paying attention to the corridor outside the ladies bathroom and walked straight into something solid and unmoving.

"So sorry" I exclaimed looking up to see who I was apologising to. Oh shit, it had to be him didn't it!

"No need to apologise beautiful" he said with a sly grin. The hairs on the back of my neck went up and I let out an involuntary shiver or revulsion when he called me beautiful.

"James, would you mind stepping out of my way, please? I'm heading home," I gritted out. This shit with him was starting to really get on my nerves. Why won't he just leave me alone?

He started walking forwards, forcing me to keep stepping backwards along the hallway beyond the bathrooms and before I knew it I was caged against the wall by his arms on either side of my head. He leaned down to my ear and whispered darkly, "I'm afraid that isn't gonna happen sweetheart, you've been teasing me in the office for far too long and it's about time I got a taste of what I want." He brought his head back to look me in the eye, and what I saw terrified me. There was nothing but cold terror lurking in his expression, this was a man who was just going to take what he wanted, and there would be no choice on my part.

He slowly dragged his sweaty finger down my cheek and started to trace my jawline in what I think was supposed to be a sexy gesture on his part, but it just made me break out in a cold sweat, as I tried desperately to think of a way to get away from him. His breath on my face was hot and laced with alcohol, which did nothing to calm my worry, because I suspected a drunken James, was a very dangerous James.

"You might as well just give in and admit your feelings for me Bella, things will be a lot easier for all concerned if you do," he whispered raggedly. I shuddered under his touch as a single tear slipped traitorously from my eye. Silently I prayed for someone to walk down the corridor so I could try to get away from him.

His hand moved down from my jaw, trailing along my collarbone before descending swiftly to grab at my breast painfully. I whimpered at his touch and the tears fell from my eyes freely as I finally found my voice once again and pleaded with him;

"James, please let me go. You don't want to do this, please don't hurt me…..I…I…I'll not mention this to anyone if you'll let me walk away."

I wasn't even sure I was making any sense, but I had to try something because I was nowhere near strong enough to fight him off, I couldn't run from him and there was no sign of anyone coming to my rescue. I was desperate, alone, and petrified of what he was going to do next.

"Silly little girl, you think that you can just walk away from me? You work for my father, so if you don't give me what I want then I can make things very difficult for you. Do you think people will want anything to do with you if they believe you're sleeping with the boss's son to advance your career?" He spat out.

"W…W….Why would you do that?" I sputtered out.

"Because I can!" He snarled at me. "Because you're beautiful and you should want to be with me. I see how you parade around the office in your tight skirts and those pretty blouses…..and don't get me started on those fucking high heeled shoes you wear. Everything you do is a silent call to me, like you're just begging for me to show some interest, so here I am!"

He released my breast from his grip and brought it back up to hold my jaw tightly, while his other hand snaked down my side to the hem of my jumper. His cold hard eyes were staring down at me as if anticipating me reacting to his words and touch. All my years of studying the written and spoken word and nothing was coming out of my mouth, right when I needed the power of speech the most, I had nothing. My sound response to all that was going on was to cower away from him and whimper desperately.

"We could be so good together, fucking electric. You know you want it" he continued, as his hand reached down to grab me at the apex of my thighs

Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I prayed that this would end sooner rather than later and tried desperately to shut out the words he was spewing at me as he pawed at my clothes. I could feel myself slipping further and further into a dark fog, the sound of James' vile words becoming more and more muffled by the second.

I don't know how long I was pinned against the wall in that corridor with him pawing at my body, but out of the blackness that surrounded me, I heard a voice…a very angry voice, that to me sounded like an angel.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing asshole?"

**EPOV:**

Staring up at the sky behind the bar it's a crystal clear night, not a cloud to be seen and I've had a moment of clarity of my own. I think maybe I will ask BBG for her number, see if I can buy her coffee some time. Jesus, I must be turning into a pussy, but God damn, if she isn't about the most perfect woman I've ever seen, and perhaps Em is right, I should give it a go. If I don't have a leap of faith then I'm going to end up a bitter old man living in a crusty old apartment surrounded by a dozen cats like Uncle Aro. No way in hell, am I going to let myself end up like that crazy old fool. Nope, perhaps it's time for a change. I take a long drag on what's left of my cigarette before stubbing it out on the wall. Taking a deep breath, I open the fire exit and head back into the bar, hoping that I'll catch her before she leaves the building.

As I round the corner near the ladies bathroom, I see two dark figures up against the wall….clearly getting it on while nobody's looking. Em will shit a brick if he finds those two humping in public view, his bar has a good reputation – don't get me wrong, the big oaf is about the furthest you can get from being a prude, but he's a firm believer of 'not in my back yard' when it comes to his business! As I get closer, I notice that the girl doesn't look to be a very willing participant in what's going on, she's firmly trapped in this guy's grasp, but she's shaking violently and I can hear spluttered gasps coming from her as she fights for breath. Then it's like a light bulb has gone off in my head….that's James and he's doing God knows what to BBG. I am beyond pissed, and I can feel the rage bubbling up inside me like a caged tiger trying to escape. I have to do something. She looks terrified, as she tries to shrink away from him against the wall.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing asshole?" I bellow at the top of my lungs.

James whips his head round towards the sound of my voice and glares at me as BBG slumps to the floor. I start striding towards him, closing the gap quickly. I'm ready to get heavy if I have to.

"It's none of your damned business what's going on between me and my girl here," he spat out.

"Funny thing about that buddy," I chuckle before snarling, "Your girl there doesn't really look that into you, in fact I'd bet my ass she wants nothing to do with you fucker, so why don't you just leave her the fuck alone and get out of this bar before I throw you out".

"I'd like to see you try man, you have no idea what kind of clout I carry in this town, I could have you fired from here just for talking to me the wrong way," he sneered. Was that supposed to be a menacing look? It wasn't and there was no way I was backing down on this. BBG was on the floor shaking like a leaf and I just wanted James gone so I could make sure she was okay.

I quirked my eyebrow at him and smirked. Silly fucker still had no idea who I was, so this could work to my advantage.

"Is that so? Let's see about that shall we, sir!" I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster, and started to make my way past him to go get Em to help throw his punk ass out of the bar. Before I could get very far he'd pulled me back by my t-shirt and was swinging his fist in the direction of my face. I tried to dodge the punch, but it connected with my cheekbone. No damage done, but it was probably going to leave a bruise which would be fun to explain at work on Monday. I'd had enough of this asshole thinking he could do and say what he wanted. It was time to teach him a lesson and pray that my mother wouldn't think ill of me for brawling in my brother's place of business. I growled at him, pulling my right arm back and swinging it back to plant my fist firmly into his jaw. It was like watching something from a movie as he flew backwards onto the floor with an almighty wail and a loud thud. I stood there looking down at him and shook my head before sidestepping him to drag him out of the corridor and eject him from the premises, but he made a grab for my legs, pulling me to the floor.

"This isn't over, I call the shots and your ass will be mine by the time I'm done with you," he yelled. He honestly had no clue.

The punches from him came fast but not really that hard as he laid into me with all that he had, and I could tell he was running out of steam from the way he was breathing. Spotting a gap in his attack, I brought my arm back once again and smacked him straight in the eye laying him out cold on the floor.

"Yeah, is that so buddy?" I spat at him as I got back to my feet.

I looked over at BBG who was sat there wide eyed and shaking like a leaf. Stepping over James, I carefully bent down next to Bella and looked her over, noting that she didn't appear to be hurt physically, but there were some nasty looking scratches across her chest where her sweater was hanging off her shoulder, and her face was red with black tear streaks running down her cheeks where her mascara had run from her crying. Reaching for her hand slowly, I couldn't help but notice what felt like a tingle or spark shoot through me as we touched, but pushed the thought away as I focussed on getting her out of there.

Gently I spoke to her, "Are you ok, do you think you can walk back to the bar?"

She nodded her ascent, so I pulled her up to a standing position before putting my arm around her protectively. "I've got you now. He can't hurt you," I bent down and murmured in her ear softly as we walked back towards the bar. I wished I could have taken her to Emmet's office, but I needed Rose to look after her while Em & I were busy 'taking out the trash'.

I rounded the corner and spotted Rose pulling her to one side. I quickly whispered what had gone down and asked her to look after BBG till we could get James out of the joint. The last thing she needed was to be on her own when she was virtually catatonic. Signalling to Em for him to join me in the corridor, I headed back to where Mr Douche-Bag extraordinaire was just coming around on the floor.

"What the fuck man!" Emmet roared from behind me, as he took in the sight before him.

James looked at Em, and got up off the floor. He turned to me and smirked then barked, "Your bar staff doesn't seem to have any manners Cullen. This punk here interrupted an intimate moment between me and my lovely lady and saw fit to attack me when I told him to leave us alone".

I couldn't believe the audacity of this guy, never mind the fact that Em had CCTV cameras all over this place; he still really had no clue about me. There was no way my brother would take James' word over mine, and on top of that, he knows that despite appearances I'm not a fighter without good reason.

"Is that so James?" my brother grinned at him.

"Yes it is, so what are you going to do about it?" James snipped back.

"Well, I could fire him I suppose…." He mused, tapping his chin in quiet contemplation, before continuing, "But then he'd actually have to be on my payroll for me to do that."

"Well you have to do something about it, his behaviour's not acceptable," Hunter bitched, and I could see in my brother's eyes that he was done listening to this prick ranting.

"Okay, Jimbo, this is what we're going to do about this little situation," Em grinned. "I'm thinking that there's a pretty good chance that if I was to go to my office and check the security tapes, I'd find that your story about my 'bartender' here is a load of horse shit that you made up to save your pretty boy ass. My guess is you tried it on with a lovely lady in my fine establishment and she wasn't interested, but you being the cocky, privileged douche that you are thought you'd just take what you wanted anyway."

I stood with my arms folded over my chest with a raised eyebrow giving James the biggest fucking stink eye ever.

James paled a little and swallowed as my brother continued his speech.

"That kind of behaviour is not acceptable with a lady, especially in my bar. So you see, I could kick him out, but in all honesty, I think it would be much more appropriate if we were to eject you from the premises!"

He took hold of James' right arm while I grabbed the left one, and we marched him back out into the bar towards the door. Stupid fucker still didn't give up and accept his fate though, oh no, he squirmed and wriggled like a stuck pig, yelling at Em that he'd be sorry for kicking out of his 'trashy little joint' and that the place would suffer if the staff from Hunter Publishing decided to boycott the place. Like this would ever bother my brother, he had a solid client base and business was booming. We got him to the out the door and I gave him a swift shove just for shits and giggles, and couldn't help but laugh as he stumbled on the sidewalk trying to keep his balance.

He turned to us, ready to start running his mouth once again when I thought it was time to play the ace in our hand, I stepped in front of him holding my hand out as if to shake his, but as he went to reciprocate I pulled my hand back, narrowed my eyes and spoke to him, "By the way, you probably don't recognise me after all these years. Edward Cullen, and while I'd like to say it's a pleasure to make your re-acquaintance, it honestly isn't. You might also want to remember what profession I'm in. I'd hate for you to end up in court on a charge of sexual assault. What would Mommy and Daddy think?" I smiled smugly at him shaking my head. Jackass knew what I was a lawyer, but I would bet my left nut that he didn't know what kind of lawyer I was. I watched the colour drain from his face at the mention of Mommy and Daddy, while his mouth flapped like a fish, unable to utter a response.

Giving him a small wave, I turned and headed back inside the bar, I needed to make sure my BBG was okay, and then make sure she got home safely. Whoa, 'my BBG', where the fuck did that one come from? I let that thought slide, but gave myself a little grin, cause shit me if it didn't feel good thinking that (just a teeny tiny bit). Maybe I was ready to take a risk and let my cold, hardened heart thaw out a bit and see what might happen. It was a big IF, and tonight was definitely not the night to be asking BBG for her number or on a date, not after the stunt Hunter pulled on her tonight.

I shook my head and continued back towards where I'd left her with Rose, but she wasn't there. Looking a little confused, I started scanning the bar to see if I could spot them when Em tapped me on the shoulder.

"Rosie probably took her back to my office to get her calmed down and cleaned up. If she wants to involve the police then I'll lift the security tape for them," he said before heading back to behind the bar where they were getting ready to call last orders.

"Cheers man," I threw over my shoulder as I started to make my way to the back of the building, past the 'scene of the crime'. I reached the door to Em's office and suddenly thought twice about just barging in there. I didn't want to scare BBG any more than she already was, so I gingerly knocked on the door and waited for a response.

**BPOV:**

I'm not quite sure how I ended up sitting on a couch in what I think was the bar owner's office, but I could quite honestly say that I was glad I was there. I remember James stopping me in the hall, and him pawing at me, his vile words making me feel dirty and scared. I also remember hearing the golden voice of the hot bartender along with a scuffle, but things were pretty foggy after that. The blonde waitress from the bar had brought me back to this room and had gently pressed tumbler of amber liquid into my hand whilst quietly urging me to drink it.

I slowly sipped at the fiery drink, my hands shaking traitorously while I brought the glass to my lips.

"Thank you," I murmured to her, as tears started to roll down my cheeks once again.

"That's okay honey, you've had a nasty shock," she smiled at me before continuing with a sneer. "James Hunter is a total creep who thinks he's king in this town and can do what he pleases. My guess is that Em and Edward are reminding him that he's not right about now." She giggled at the thought.

"Oh," was the only thing I could think of to say in reply. Stunningly articulate use of the English language Bella!

"I'm Rosalie by the way," she informed me with another smile, "And if I remember correctly from earlier, you're Bella?"

I took another gulp of my drink, relishing the burn as it slid down my throat. It wasn't going to erase what had happened tonight, but it was doing a great job of numbing the senses.

"Yes, I am," I mumbled.

Looking down at the floor I wondered about asking if I could leave via the fire exit so that I didn't have to walk through the bar and face any questions from Angela, Jess, or Lauren if they were still here. It was going to be hard enough going into work again on Monday and facing James without any bitchy remarks from Lauren, who would no doubt claim that I should be flattered that James was 'in to me'. Even worse, get the hump because he'd not shown any interest in her when she so blatantly wanted him and his trust fund. I also didn't want to be any more trouble to these people than I already had been, they'd helped me out so much and I'm sure that the last thing that they wanted was for the cops to come knocking. That would be bad for business.

Nope, the best thing to do would be to go home, get myself cleaned up and sleep till the weekend was over, and then hope for the best when I got into the office on Monday.

I was about to get up from my seat when there was a soft knock at the door. Despite the gentle nature of the knock, I gasped and sank into the corner of the couch, unsure of who was on the other side.

"You can come in," Rosalie called to whoever was on the other side, as I sank further into the couch, hiding behind my hair and praying that nothing else was going to happen tonight.

"How is she doing?" I heard a male voice whisper.

"Not sure to be honest. She's stopped shaking, but she's very quiet. I know you didn't have time to give me any details of what happened to her, but I'm guessing that douche really frightened the shit out of her. I figured it was best not to leave her on her own," Rose told him quietly.

"Yeah, when I found him there it wasn't really fun to witness Rose. The asshole was all over her and you could tell she didn't want anything to do with him, but he just wouldn't leave her alone. I had to do something to help her, she didn't have a chance to fight him off on her own." The voice muttered.

The man in the room was my golden voiced angel, the one who rescued me from James. He continued to talk with Rose in hushed tones and I couldn't quite make out what they were saying anymore, but it didn't matter anymore. Just hearing him talk about what he'd witnessed brought it all crashing back down upon me. I let out a huge shuddering breath that I wasn't aware I'd been holding in, and a loud choking sob followed behind it. My face started to feel the moisture of more traitorous tears that had begun to fall.

To the side of me there was movement and the sound of the door opening and closing. Then I felt the couch dip down next to me and a strong hand reached into my line of vision and carefully squeezed my right hand. Another loud sob came, followed by another and another and before I knew it I was bawling my eyes out in front of this gorgeous man who probably didn't know what the hell to do next.

"I'm so sorry," I choked out, amidst my uncontrollable sobs.

Suddenly I felt myself enveloped in strong arms, his embrace warm and comforting, as he whispered into my hair, "Don't worry BBG, you're safe, he can't hurt you now. I'll look after you." He must have whispered the same things to me at least a dozen times as he held me tight while I tried to calm myself down.

Eventually the tears slowed down, and my breathing evened out. He brought his hands up to cup my face and let his thumbs rub over my cheeks, carefully wiping away the tears that were still there. His touch was so gentle, and the complete polar opposite of how James had handled me. Slowly I brought my eyes up to meet his and was shocked to see such a burning intensity in those wonderful emerald green orbs. They shone with nothing but compassion and concern for me in this moment, and I revelled in the feeling of safety that this gave me.

It was weird, because the only other man, who made me feel this safe, was my father. I had always been wary of men and their motives after an old boyfriend had tried to get me to have sex in the back of his car on prom night and I wasn't anywhere near ready to take that step. He dumped me the next day saying that I was nothing but a tease if I wasn't willing to follow through after getting him all worked up. He stuck the knife in further by adding that there were plenty of other girls out there who were prettier than me who would give him what he wanted. Somehow though, despite me not having spoken more than a few words to this man, he'd managed to make me feel more secure than I had since I was a teenager, and it was a feeling I liked. His touch left little tingles on my skin he moved his hands to my shoulders and back, slowly rubbing comforting circles as he went.

I glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was now gone midnight, and the bar would now be closed. I really should head home and get myself to bed.

"Thank you for helping me tonight," I said with a small smile, my cheeks warming up as I spoke.

"No need to thank me beautiful, there was no way I could leave you there to suffer at his hands, I had to protect you" he stated with such conviction, he might as well have been swearing on the Bible in court. His eyes continued to bore into me with an intensity that I somehow craved, but tonight was not the night for acting upon it. Maybe another time I pondered.

Slowly, I pulled myself away from him and stood up. As much as I could have stayed in his embrace all night long, I had to leave before I got too comfortable. "I…I should get going, I've caused enough trouble for you all this evening," I said as I turned towards the door.

"It's no trouble, I can assure you." He stated, before adding, "People like him don't understand the meaning of the word no, so if you want to involve the police then we can give them the CCTV footage from the corridor as evidence of what happened."

I shuddered, there was no way I could involve the police. "No!" I shrieked, a little louder than I intended. "I can't go to the police about him, his father owns the company I work for, and James works on the same floor as me. It would only make my job there even more awkward than it already is." I explained. "It took me long enough to secure a role with a publishing firm after graduating. I've worked too hard to get where I am to risk giving it up. I won't let him take that away from me!" I was getting upset again, and this wonderful man was probably starting to think I was an emotional basket case.

I felt his hand touch my shoulder lightly and instantly felt calmed. He looked me directly in the eye, his expression filled with acceptance of my reasoning. "I understand, let me walk you out and make sure you get into a cab safely."

I nodded and let him guide me out towards the main bar area once again with his hand touching the small of my back. My skin was still tingling at his touch and I smiled a little at how such a simple gesture could make me feel so protected. As we passed the spot where James had cornered me, Edward moved his arm to wrap firmly around my shoulder and I turned my head in towards his chest. God he smelled amazing, like a subtle combination of musk, sandalwood, and fresh linen, it was an interesting mix, but it suited him beautifully.

In the bar Rose and the other big guy from behind the bar were wiping down the tables near the front door, they looked up when we reached them.

"Are you feeling better little one?" The big guy smiled, flashing me the most wonderful dimples as his eyes twinkled.

"Yeah, I'll be ok. Just want to forget it ever happened," I sighed.

Rose and Edward exchanged a look that I couldn't quite identify, but they appeared to be having a silent conversation with their eyes.

"Em, I'm just gonna make sure she gets into a cab safely then I'll be back to help you guys close up," Edward stated.

"No worries man, we've got this. You make sure little one is okay," he grinned before addressing me, "You gonna come back and visit us again sweetness? Drinks will be on me for the night!"

I chuckled at his child like enthusiasm; a night out with him must be such a laugh. "We'll see," I said with a wink, smiling at him. Thanking them once again for their help and kindness, I wished them goodnight and stepped out onto the sidewalk with Edward close by my side. I glanced up and down the street, hoping that James wouldn't be lingering around outside the bar.

"Don't worry beautiful, he's long gone. Em and I made sure he got the message that he wasn't welcome around here." Edward assured me as he waved his arm in the air to flag down a passing cab. A driver spots us standing on the sidewalk and slows down next to us, waiting for me to climb in.

"Thank you, you really have been amazing." I smiled at him sincerely, before adding, "I'm just not looking forward to facing him in the office on Monday"

"Oh shit, you work in his office don't you?" Edward exclaimed, whilst smacking his hand off his forehead.

"Yes, sadly I do," I sighed and shook my head a little. "It will be fine though, he'll not try anything anywhere near as bad in case I say anything to his father or personnel." In fact I think to myself, this might well be a blessing in disguise, because I can produce witnesses from tonight to back up my claims if he does start any more shit with me. Yep, this could mean he now leaves me alone at work too, and this thought makes me smile brightly at Edward.

"Well I'll get Em to hang on to the CCTV footage just in case you need to pull out the big guns against him"

"I appreciate it, but I really do think things will be okay," I reassure him. His eyes are boring into me, blazing that beautiful green, and he gives me a million mega-watt smile, that could light up the whole of Seattle. If only things hadn't happened with James tonight, then I wouldn't be thinking twice about asking for his number, but I'm just not that comfortable. At least I know where to find him, so I could always arrange another night out and take up Emmett's offer of drinks, maybe get to know him a bit better then.

"Hey lady, are you getting in or what? The cab driver yelled, startling me out of my thoughts. Edward cocked his head to one side as if he's either studying me or contemplating saying something.

"So, I guess I'll be going then. Maybe I'll see you around?" I tell him with a deflated look, and reach my hand out to shake his. Is it me, or have things just become really awkward between us for no reason?

He reaches out to take my hand, but brings it slowly up towards his mouth, drawing it slowly towards his perfect pouty lips and gently grazes the back of my knuckles with the most subtle of kisses. I think my panties might just have melted with that one action alone, but as he lets my hand drop back to my side he leans to my ear and whispers. "I most certainly hope so BBG."

He pulls back and gives me a crooked grin that could be perceived as a cocky smirk, if it wasn't for the sincerity in his eyes. I think I might well be blushing from the tips of my ears to the ends of my toes right now so I climb into the cab as quickly as I can, giving the driver my address. Just before the taxi pulls away the door is yanked open and Edward bends down to thrust a business card into my hand.

"Take this, just in case you need it," he rasps out, before quickly retreating back on the sidewalk and slamming the door shut.

I smile from inside the car and wave to him as we pull away, and then slowly look down at the card he gave me. Slowly I run my fingers over the heavily embossed text as I read it. _**Edward A. Cullen - **__Corporate & Employment Law, _**MASEN & PLATT ATTORNEYS** along with his cell number and email. He'd taken the first step and given me his number, perhaps when the dust has settled from tonight; I might just give him a call.

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><p><strong>Well, we're at the point where I need to get the old grey matter working on how to expand this baby further. I have some ideas on where I want it to go, but I'm always open to suggestion if there's something you'd like to see. Chapter 3 is nearly done so it should be finished by the end of the weekend.<strong>

**Thanks for reading once again.**


	3. Chapter 3

**All publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a really nice big mug that holds a lot of tea!**

**So this is where the O/S becomes a fully-fledged multi-chapter fiction. I'm a little scared about where this will go, and how long it will get. Hopefully I will do the characters justice. **

**Thanks to my amazing beta momma2fan for making sure I follow the proper writing etiquette – I knew that my degree in English**** was never going to be enough to guide me through this journey so you are a true Godsend.**

**Happy reading!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 3:<strong>

_And I don't want the world to see me_

_'Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_**Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls**_

**BPOV:**

Monday morning rolled around fairly quickly. I'd spent a large chunk of my time since Friday night thinking about what had happened. I was angry with myself for allowing James the opportunity to corner me like that. If my father knew, I'm not sure who he'd be more pissed with, James for his actions or me for my lack of them. During high school Charlie had been a 'tour de force' when it came to my personal safety, making sure I always had a can of mace in my purse or school bag, and that I knew how to avoid putting myself in dangerous situations. He even went as far as to teach me some basic self-defence, but that seemed to just leave my mind the moment James put his filthy hands on me. Then Edward appeared…sigh!

I was so thankful for Edward's intervention that I couldn't even articulate it properly, and 'Thank You' just seemed totally inadequate. So I spent Sunday finding a way to truly convey how grateful I was for his assistance. I'd toyed with the idea of writing him an email seeing as his business card was burning a hole in my wallet, but that seemed a little impersonal…as did sending him a text. Thoughts of him had flooded my mind, his beautiful features framing his wonderfully striking green eyes. My gesture needed to be more personal, perhaps giving him a glimpse of the real me and not the frightened little woman he'd seen on Friday night. So I did what I do best (other than my job at Hunter)…I baked!

Leaving my apartment earlier than usual, I'd taken a slight detour and dropped off my gift for Edward at the reception desk of Masen and Platt which was only a block away from my office. Hopefully right about now, sitting on Edward Cullen's desk would be a large white box, tied up with emerald coloured satin ribbon. Inside he would find a dozen decadently rich chocolate cupcakes with velvety smooth chocolate ganache frosting piped on top. They looked a bit boring when I'd finished them, so for a bit of fun, I had sprinkled some brightly colored sugar stars on top. I'd also placed a notecard inside the box to thank him once again along with my own business card…just in case he needed it!

As a result of my early morning parcel delivery duties, there had been enough time to grab a coffee before heading into the office which meant I didn't have to risk an early morning encounter with James in the staff kitchen. The silence of the office at eight in the morning was a welcome comfort as I plugged my laptop in and got logged on to the company network so I could check my emails. My hope for today was that James stayed out of my way from now on, fingers crossed Edward and Emmett's warnings had given him food for thought and I would now be off his radar. After his comments about nobody believing me if I said anything, I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about what might happen next.

I just prayed that he would leave me alone, then I could get on with my job and prove how much of an asset I was to Hunter Publishing (my dad would be spitting bullets if he knew what had happened and about my reluctance to involve the authorities – quite literally given that he was Chief of Police back in my home town of Forks).

Within half an hour people had started to trickle in to the office and the place was starting to have that gentle hum of activity, almost like the noise of a printing press. It was a relentless yet comforting sound to me as I went about my usual morning duties. Emails had been checked, prioritised with the urgent ones and forwarded to my boss, voicemail had been emptied and I had a nice list of call backs that needed doing. I was just waiting for the guy from the mailroom to deliver the weekend post and the next set of manuscripts for Kate to review.

With some time to kill, I figured I'd pop to the employee lounge to grab a coffee for Kate so that she had a drink waiting for her when she got in to work. It wasn't something she expected me to do, but I enjoy working for her so it was no chore. To be honest, Kate drank more coffee than I did, so it wasn't unusual to find that she'd fix me a drink when she was up getting hers.

The elevator dinged as I was just adding creamer to Kate's drink, sounding the arrival of another batch of Hunter employees ready to start their working week. Through the throng of people who had vacated the elevator, it appeared that Jessica and Lauren had arrived judging by the rather loud conversation that I could overhear, which to my mind was completely unprofessional given that the subject of discussion were employees of this company.

"Honestly Jess, you missed all the excitement on Friday night. While you were off fawning over your geeky lover boy, lovely Mr Hunter was being manhandled by the owner of the bar and one of his minions for no apparent reason," Lauren bristled

"I wasn't fawning Lauren, I just wanted to tell Mike how much I enjoyed the band's performance," Jess sighed

"You say potato…same difference hun. None of that matters to me. I want to know what happened with James. We were having such a wonderful time together at the bar and he was flirting with me shamelessly, but then he went to the bathroom and the next thing me and his friends knew, he was being kicked out of the bar. I have no idea what happened but I'm sure James will tell me when he comes in." Lauren prattled on.

I think Jess had tuned her out by the time they had reached their desks, because she hadn't uttered another word to Lauren. I slipped out of the lounge with Kate's coffee and strode with purpose back towards my desk, my footsteps picking up pace as I passed by Jessica and Lauren's desks. I wanted to get past them without stopping to discuss Friday night if I could avoid it.

For once, my feet were at least on my side and I managed to half jog through the office in my heels, which considering I was wearing a pencil skirt that normally restricts movement to a brisk walk at best, I was a tiny bit proud of myself. I placed the coffee on Kate's desk and went back to my spot outside her office, slumping down in my chair with a feeling of relief at having escaped having to discuss James' removal from Eclipse at the hands of Edward and Emmett. I went back to checking my emails once more.

"Morning Bella, did you have a good weekend?" I was snapped out of my concentration by Kate's cheerful greeting as she breezed into the office.

She really was a joy to work for, terribly focussed on her work, could command a boardroom full of the Hunter Publishing 'old boys network' who believed still believed that a woman's place really was in the home, or in some of the more 'less taxing' roles in the organisation like on reception or secretarial support. Sometimes this place felt like it took its values straight from some early 1900's Victorian novel, but Kate didn't let that stop her.

"It was okay thanks Kate, drinks on Friday with some of the girls from here. Then just puttered around my apartment doing chores the rest of the time," I responded with a smile, before asking, "How was yours?"

"Fairly similar to you actually, although my Friday night was dinner with Mom and Dad, and what a joyous event that was," she grinned.

"I tell you, if I have to sit there and listen to the great Eleazar Denali drone on and on once more about how I'm bringing shame on the family name by spending my days reading stories and not following in his footsteps being a lawyer then I might just have to kill myself! Nope, scratch that, I'm too pretty to die so young," she giggled.

I laughed along with her, because the tales of her crazy ass family were ridiculously entertaining. It was quite sad that her father had such a low opinion of the career she'd chosen for herself because if he stopped to look properly, he'd see that she was amazing at what she does. You wouldn't know from talking to her that she's from one of Seattle's oldest families and I get the impression that her mother wishes she was more like her younger sisters who are (according to Kate) the stereotypical blueprint of Seattle society trust fund babies. They don't do much of anything, although they are both college educated, and they're just sitting around waiting for a couple of equally rich trust fund boys to swoop in and marry them.

I shuddered at that thought and smiled at Kate again before handing her the post she'd need to deal with first thing this morning.

"Here's your urgent stuff Kate, I'll bring the fresh manuscripts in once they've come up from the mailroom. Oh, and there's a coffee on your desk for you."

"Oh Bella, you're a gem! What would I do without you?" she exclaimed as she marched into her office ready to tackle today's mountain of work.

Chuckling to myself, I turned back to my laptop to carry on with my work while waiting for the manuscripts to be delivered. Just as I was about to forward an email on to Kate from one of her most popular authors an instant message popped up on screen.

_**AWebber:**__ Hey Bella, have you had Lauren banging on about Mr Creeptastic being kicked out of Eclipse on Friday night?_

_**ISwan: **__Hi Ange, nope, not had the pleasure, but I do know the cause of his "ejection". I'm avoiding her cause I don't want to have to share the deets which would then get round the office quicker than you can blink. _

_**AWebber: **__I can understand that hun. I'm guessing he overstepped his boundaries once again. _

_**ISwan: **__And then some Ange. You free for lunch so I can fill you in?_

_**AWebber: **__Absolutely, 12:30pm in our usual place?_

_**ISwan: **__See you there!_

I knew that I could trust Angela if I told her what had happened and she would not betray my confidence, so lunch would lead to a pretty interesting conversation. I was also hoping to get the scoop on Jess and Mike from Friday, he's a nice guy and I think he could be good for her, plus it would annoy Lauren to no end!

Today was ramping up to be a good day so far, and there'd been no sign of James either which made me immensely happy. I could hear the faint squeaking sound of the mail cart coming along the floor which meant that Tyler would be here with our manuscripts shortly. This was one of my favourite parts of the job, getting to see unpublished works before they got anywhere near a print run. Hopefully one day I'd be sitting in Kate's chair, scanning my eyes over someone's wordy creations.

I'd dabbled a bit with writing during college, taking a creative writing class as a bit of light relief from the heaviness of other subjects such as Shakespeare, Classic British Literature and the American Classics. I passed the assignments okay, but I often felt that my compositions fell way short of some of the standards set by my peers. Maybe one day I'd give it another go, but not right now.

I was lulled from my reminiscing by the sound of my cell phone announcing that I'd received a text. Grabbing the phone from my purse, I unlocked it to see who had contacted me. It was a number not stored in my phone, but I knew who it was as I'd spent the weekend staring at the very same number. Opening the message with slightly trembling fingers, there was a picture of an empty cupcake wrapper and some crumbs on a desk with the message "Nom, nom, nom!"

**EPOV:**

Who in their right mind arranges a meeting for 7:30am on a Monday morning? My fucking secretary, that's who! I swear to God the girl was at the back of the line when it came to dishing out common sense, but at least this time she'd got the location of the meeting and the name of my client right. I'd love to get rid of her, but she's the niece of one of the firm's more senior lawyers and Caius won't let me get rid of her, even though she's borderline incompetent and flirts with me in the most ridiculously blatant way, all the while thinking she's being a subtle little fox. It made me dream of the days when Shelley Cope had been my secretary, when I was fresh out of law school and she looked after me just like a mother. She was also mad as a box of frogs, but her attention to detail was first class. I think I might have wept the day she retired from the firm and I landed Jane as her replacement.

With my business concluded and the client happy with the amendments made to the contract they were putting together for their management buyout, I was walking back to my office by 8:30am. Thoughts of Bella penetrated my mind over the weekend, and were starting to do so now as I had a spare five minutes. Maybe it was purely a bit of friendly concern on my part after the stunt James had pulled on Friday; maybe there was some kind of attraction there. Perhaps it was a combination of both, because who am I kidding; she was hot as hell and didn't deserve anything that Hunter had done to her. Hopefully she would take the initiative and get in touch with me now that she had my business card.

As I waited for the elevator to deliver me to my floor, I wondered what kind of shit-storm would be waiting for me in my inbox and voicemail. There was a vague hope that for once at the start of the week Jane might have made it to work on time and already prioritised my messages for me, but there was often some lame excuse for why she waltzed in at 9am when her contract states her hours are 8am-6pm.

The elevator dinged and announced my stop bringing me out of my speculating. Stepping out onto the floor where Masen and Platt held their offices, I was greeted by Siobhan at the reception desk with a warm smile, "Good morning Mr Cullen. Pleasant weekend?"

"Morning Siobhan, yeah, not too bad. Spent it with the family and catching up on some paperwork…the usual," I chuckled.

"You've had a parcel delivered for you. It looked kind of fragile so I popped it on your desk for you. Didn't want it to have any accidents if I passed it on to a third party," she winked at me with a sly grin.

Now before you get it in your head that every woman I meet or know just throws themselves at me or wants to get in my pants, Siobhan's in her mid-forties and took a part time role with Masen Platt when her husband's company cut his hours a couple of years ago. While things were back on track now for them, she found she enjoyed working here and decided to stay on. Since Shelley's departure 6 months ago, Siobhan had taken to keeping a bit of an eye on me and occasionally helped out when Jane was 'struggling' with the workload.

"You're a doll Siobhan, what would I do without you?" I winked back before walking down the hall towards my office.

"If you want a coffee you'll have to wait till I get my break sunshine," she whisper yelled after me with a chuckle.

I waved her off shaking my head, because honestly while it was nice to be looked after at work sometimes, if I didn't expect Jane to get my coffee for me then I sure as hell didn't expect Siobhan to fix it. Jane wouldn't make me a drink on principal because the one and only time she'd done so, I'd spat the vile concoction out across my desk across a load of important case files. Jane just huffed and told me that from now on if I wanted coffee to get it myself because that kind of task was beneath a woman in her position.

Yep, you heard me….a woman in her position. I was tempted to question what the hell she thought that position was, but it was her first day and I was stupid enough to think she might actually do a good enough job, given that her uncle worked here and she wouldn't want to let him down. Oh how wrong I was!

As I approached my office, I must admit my curiosity about this parcel was getting the better of me. The only things I tend to receive at work are case files and contracts, but they could hardly be described as a parcel, and those sorts of things would normally be received by the mailroom. I was baffled to say the very least.

Surprisingly Jane appeared to be in the office already, which for a Monday, her being anywhere near her desk before nine am was a miracle to say the very least. Her purse was on her desk and her computer was switched on, although she hadn't logged on yet so she can't have been here that long. Where the hell was she?

Then I heard her, she was talking to someone and it appeared to be coming from inside my office. Quickly checking my phone to make sure I wasn't running late for any more meetings, I was relieved to see that I was clear till lunchtime when I was meeting Jasper for a catch-up. Who the hell was she talking to and why was she in my God damn office? She had no business being in there unless it was to ask me something, and seeing as she'd arranged my meeting this morning, she knew I wasn't there.

"Honestly Tan, he's a nightmare to work for. Expects me to type his letters for him, sort his case files, manage his diary, and take his messages. It's like he's totally incapable of doing anything for himself," she whined to whoever she was talking to.

"Oh honey, he can't be all that bad. He's very easy on the eye, and I'm sure he's got other redeeming qualities….I mean, have you seen the size of his feet!" A second voice replied.

Oh shit me, there's someone in there with her, and they're talking about me. Could she be any more unprofessional? No way was this one going to slide with me, I was going to Caius and I would get him to do something this time. I decided to hang back outside my door a little longer to see where their conversation was going.

"No denying Tan, he's definitely been blessed in the looks department. I spend half my day flirting with him in the hopes that he'll cut me some slack, but it just doesn't work," Jane's moaning continued.

"Well don't panic sweetie, we both know it's just a matter of time before I land him and having him wrapped around my little finger," her companion cackled.

Oh Christ, she's got Tanya Denali in there with her, what the hell could she want?

"So what's with the box on his desk?" asked Tanya.

"Dunno, it was there when I arrived this morning. Looks like it was hand delivered, and there's no label on it either so I've got no clue which store it's from. I'd say it's from a woman though judging by how it's decorated, it's too pretty for it to be something a man would send."

"I agree, competition maybe? Or could be his mother, it's the kind of thing Esme Cullen would do as a thank you. Shame we can't open it or get rid of it….eliminate any potential threats to my plans." Tanya drawled.

Jane giggled, "Maybe it could have a little accident before he gets back from his meeting, perhaps rough the contents up a little bit."

I was about two seconds away from losing it. The pair of them were so out of order it was unbelievable, and I'd had enough. Trying to contain my rage, I pushed the office door open and stormed in, glaring at the pair of them who looked like a couple of kids who'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Would someone like to explain what the hell you're both doing here?" I raged.

Jane went pale and looked like she was going to be sick, Tanya on the other hand was looking at me like I was something to eat and licking her lips. I stalked around them towards my desk, slamming my briefcase down on the filing cupboard by the window with a loud bang.

"Sorry Mr Cullen, I was just making sure making sure Ms Denali got situated comfortably till you got back from your meeting." She tried to backpedal.

I would have laughed at her trying to cover her tracks if I wasn't so pissed at this point.

Tanya decided to chip in at this point, "Oh relax Eddie, Jane was just being a sweetie by letting me wait in here rather than the entrance with your ghastly receptionist. I have important business to discuss with you."

God this woman was everything I hated about society trust fund bunnies, she was privileged, spoiled, and felt that she was irresistible to any man. Quite often the size of her bank balance and her willingness to spread her legs meant that was often the case. I dreaded to think what it was she wanted from me this time. I just wanted her to keep her hands to herself and get out of my office so I could find out what this gift was.

"Well go on then Tanya, seeing as you most definitely don't have an appointment with me and my time is fairly expensive – you've got two minutes," I barked.

"Oh darling, Daddy's invited us to dinner tomorrow evening. He wants to meet the man that's been able to capture my interest for more than five minutes! Can you believe it?" she squalked.

By this point Jane had beat a hasty retreat to her desk, no doubt wondering what the fallout of her letting Tanya into my office would be. I was not in the mood to be messed with by Tanya and her meddling little friend. There was no chance I was going to dinner with her in any capacity, and definitely not with Eleazar Denali. She was honestly barking mad, she knows I'm not interested in her or her father's attempts to lure me away from Masen Platt – neither are ever going to happen, and the sooner she got the message the better.

"Tanya, I've told you a number of times, I have no interest in dating you, having dinner with you, or your father for that matter. My future lies here at Masen Platt and I am definitely not looking for a superficial trophy wife, so you might as well leave."

She didn't even flinch at my words, she just sat there grinning at me as though she expected me to change my mind after I'd had a chance to think…err, I don't think so. She lacks the substance and style to hold my interest. When she saw I wasn't about to add anything to the conversation she finally spoke.

"One day you'll come around to my way of thinking Eddie, you know we could be good together darling." She drawled as she rose from her seat stepping towards me before adding, "It's not in my nature to give up when I see something I want, and it's not in Daddy's either."

"Goodbye Tanya, don't let the door hit you on the way out," I commanded.

"See you around Eddie," she smirked at me.

"My name is Edward as you well know, so if you want me to reply when you speak to me, I suggest you remember that. Now get out of my office before I bill you for my time!" I barked at her retreating form.

Hell, it wasn't even nine am and I already had a splitting headache. How I was going to get through the rest of the day, I had no idea.

Sinking down into the soft leather of my office chair, my eyes were drawn to the white box sitting on the far edge of the desk. To say I was intrigued about its contents was an understatement. It looked like a box from one of those high end bakeries, all glossy white cardboard, tied up with a silky forest green ribbon. There was no label on the outside to identify which store it had come from, so I was left with no option but to open and explore.

I gently slid the box over to me and fingered the luxurious binding that held the parcel closed. Gently pulling on one end of the ribbon, I teased it open slowly. As the ribbon fell to the desk, I gently lifted the lid on the box and immediately started to salivate when I saw the contents. Someone had sent me twelve of the most amazing looking chocolate cupcakes I had ever seen (and I grew up with Esme Cullen feeding me – she baked almost daily for us!).

I think I might have just drooled onto my desk looking at the yummy goodness in front of me. Opening the box fully and reaching in to take one out so I can get a taste of my treat, I realise that I don't have a drink. I pick up the phone and dial reception…time to cash in that drink offer from Siobhan.

"What do you want Cullen?" Siobhan chuckles down the phone. Oh, she knows me too well.

"Well, seeing as you asked me…I was hoping to cash in that offer of a drink. I'll make it worth your while if you'll bring me a coffee," I whine down the line to her.

I hear her groan at the other end and I know she'll sort it out for me, "Go on then Edward, this had better be an outstanding trade off."

"Don't you worry Siobhan, the pay-off will have you licking your lips and begging for me," I laugh out.

The line goes dead and within five minutes Siobhan is waltzing through my door with a steaming hot mug of coffee for me and a sly grin on her face. I slowly turn the box around and lift the lid to show her the contents of the box.

"Oh my, aren't they just the prettiest things you've ever seen?" she enthuses.

"Thanks for the coffee Siobhan, help yourself" I say before I eagerly tuck in to my own cupcake. Oh boy, it tastes better than it looks, and I think I might have just had a food-gasm (yes, I did say food-gasm!).

Siobhan smiles at me and takes one of the cupcakes before heading for the door.

"You know, the girl that dropped these off was a pretty little thing Edward," she says with a knowing look.

Polishing off the last of my treat I decide that I have enough room for one more. After all I am a growing boy and I skipped breakfast because of my ridiculously early start. Taking another cake out of the box I spot an envelope tucked into the side of the box. Maybe this will give me the answer of who sent this gift.

Opening the envelope, I slide out a thick laid card with the simple words "Thank You" printed on the front. Inside is a note, scribed in the most lovely handwriting I've ever seen, and the sender has even used a fountain pen . I was convinced the art of handwritten sentiments was dying out these days, but apparently not and I'm pleasantly surprised to have this confirmed to me with what's in my hands.

_**Dear Edward,**_

_**I just wanted to offer my thanks once more for the help you gave me on Friday night. Words can't express how grateful I truly am for your assistance and support. I thought about texting or emailing you to say thank you, but both seemed like such empty gestures, so hopefully these homemade cupcakes will give you an understanding of my appreciation.**_

"_**The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention" Oscar Wilde**_

_**With kindest regards**_

_**Bella Swan**_

I was totally blown away by this act of thoughtfulness from someone who to all intents and purposes is a complete stranger to me. It was quite possibly the most genuine gesture anyone had ever made towards me and there was no hint of an ulterior motive either, which was just so refreshing. I sat back in my chair and thought about BBG and her beautiful smile, how she'd seemed so tiny sitting on the couch in Em's office, yet so steely in her determination to just go about her role at Hunter and not let James wear her down.

The more I thought about her, the more curious I was to get to know her. She was a unique creature with a very different way of handling things, so my approach to pursuing this needed to be a little bit different.

Looking down at the cake wrapper on my desk and the crumbs that surrounded it, I had an idea. Her business card had been inside the note, she wanted me to have her contact info, so why not start with a cheeky little text to let her know I'd received her gift.

I pulled out my iPhone and took a quick picture of the debris on my desk, then sent it to her in a text message to show my appreciation. Thinking back over her words about a text message being an empty gesture, I pulled out my phone and placed a call to Esme's favourite florist, I had the perfect gesture in mind that had plenty of meaning.

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><p><strong>So what do you think he's ordering from the florist. Somehow I don't think Bella is the kind of girl who would appreciate an over the top kind of bouquet you see in the movies. Edward's a thoughtful kind of guy, so I wonder if anyone will guess what he has in mind.<strong>

**The next chapter is a work in progress, so it may be up to 2 weeks before the next update I'm afraid.**

**Thank you for reading and any reviews are gratefully received.**

**VV76 xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a couple of rather nice pairs of Chucks!**

**Big thanks once again to the fabulous ****momma2fan for her awesome beta-ing once again! So I shall shamelessly plug her writing too – if you haven't already checked her stories out yet, I urge you to do so, my personal favourite is Letters to a Stranger – I love a bit of Armyward!**

**Also thanks to thimbles for all her encouragement when I first started writing this story. She's got a wonderfully moving story on the go called What I Wished For. Check it out, but make sure you have your hankies at the ready; it's a total tear jerker.**

**Finally, thank you to all of you who have put the story on alert/favourite and reviewed me. I appreciate your comments more than you would imagine.**

**So who's up for a bit more of Bella & Edward's Monday? Can the day get any stranger…you bet your ass it can!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 4:<strong>

_One way or another I'm gonna find ya  
>I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha<br>One way or another I'm gonna win ya  
>I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha<br>One way or another I'm gonna see ya  
>I'm gonna meetcha meetcha meetcha meetcha<br>One day, maybe next week  
>I'm gonna meetcha, I'm gonna meetcha, I'll meetcha<em>

_**One Way or Another by Blondie**_

**BPOV:**

Edward's text had been the highlight of my morning, even the arrival of the newest set of manuscripts for Kate couldn't beat the goofy grin that plastered across my face every time I thought about it. He hadn't put a wordy message with the picture he sent, but his response just filled me with joy knowing that the gift I'd left for him had truly been appreciated.

I was a simple girl at heart; I didn't need over the top gestures and reactions. I appreciated sincerity and genuine emotion so much more than the hollowness of a cliché reaction or sentiment. I tried to convey this in my own actions, and always had done. Family and the few friends I had often got a batch of my sugar cookies at Christmas, but I'd take the time to cut them into shapes that reflected their personality or interests. I firmly believed in putting a bit of thought into a gift even if it was just a small token.

Some might say I'm a little bit OCD for such matters, but my grandmother had instilled in me the importance of good manners and the notion that kindness was the greatest gift a human could possess. This gift was something that should be given freely to others and used to its fullest potential. I adored my grandmother, and even though she had passed away a few years ago, I still took every opportunity that I could to make her proud of me.

I couldn't believe it when I looked at the clock on the wall opposite my desk and saw that I only had five minutes before I was meeting Angela for lunch. I grabbed my purse and locked my workstation up and rushed for the exit.

It looked like Jess and Lauren had already gone on their break so I managed to get out of the building without seeing them. When I arrived at the deli around the corner from the Hunter Publishing office, Angela had already secured a table for us. I grabbed a small turkey salad roll and a bottle of water and went to join her.

"About time you got here Bella, we're wasting perfectly good gossip time," Angela giggled.

I rolled my eyes at her, "Heck Angela, you're as bad as Lauren."

"Never," she cried looking absolutely horrified at the notion before laughing so hard that she actually snorted a bit of soda out of her nose.

Eventually she regained her composure and asked me the question that she'd been dying to.

"So what happened on Friday then, because it's all over the office about James being booted out of Eclipse, but Lauren and Jess have no idea why, and neither do I."

I sighed, because I really didn't want to rehash what had happened, but I trusted Angela, and she was the one person I knew I could confide in. So over sandwiches and soda I told her everything that had gone down in that corridor, how Edward had been my saviour, how safe he'd made me feel and the tingle I got when we'd touched, also and how I'd made him cupcakes and his text message reply. When I'd finished I sat there fiddling with the straw of my drink waiting for her to say something.

Angela sat there with her mouth wide open, trying to say something but failing to come up with anything at first. Eventually she spoke.

"Wow!"

"Wow? That's all you've got to say about what I've just spilled to you?"

"Oh honey, I've got plenty to say about this, just let me get my thoughts in order okay?" She smiled before continuing. "So you're not going to call the police about what happened?"

I shook my head.

"Well, I can't say I agree, but I understand your reasoning, because James attention is escalating, how far is he going to go before it stops? You have a safety net with the security footage so that's good, but I think you should keep track of anything more that he does at work. I also think you should talk to Kate. She'll be on your side and can probably help you on how to handle things if they continue in the office."

"You might be right. I'll talk to her this afternoon when she's not as busy, probably the end of today or tomorrow." I agreed.

Angela smiled at my compliance before continuing. "It may be useful that this Edward specialises in employment and corporate law too, so if you're going to get to know him he may be able to give some advice on how to handle the workplace issue too."

My friend was too good at this, she could find the silver lining in just about anything and that was one of the reasons I adored her. Not to mention she was nothing like the superficial office bimbos like Lauren. It really was a shame that Jess seemed to be getting sucked into Lauren's vortex.

"I don't know about getting to know him though Angela, he's drop dead gorgeous and has this amazing high powered job, why would he be interested in plain old me who is so low on the food chain at Hunter?"

"Bella, Bella, Bella, you really need to have a little more faith in yourself. You are a beautiful person both inside and out, and I think from what you've told me so far, he's interested in you. That text had a playful tone to it, so the ball is in your court chica!"

I chuckled at Angela as we cleared away our lunch debris and headed back to the office. She'd certainly given me food for thought. I'd get through this afternoon and perhaps I'd text Edward back tonight, maybe see where the conversation goes.

Walking back towards our desks, Angela and I were stopped by Lauren who looked so giddy that I thought she might faint from lack of oxygen to the brain. She was practically bouncing as she gleefully told us what she'd heard about Friday. Apparently James had been kicked out of the bar by the owner after a minor disagreement and then as he'd walked home to sober up, he'd been mugged. He hadn't seen his attacker, but he had been big and the guy jumped him from behind.

Angela and I stood there astounded before I sputtered, "That's quite a story."

"Indeed," was all Angela could add.

I didn't bother to ask Lauren where she got her information from, because quite frankly I didn't care. The fact he wasn't going to be in the office this week meant that I could breathe a bit easier. We parted ways and headed for our desks. To say I was relieved was a massive understatement, and it also gave me time to talk to Kate about the situation before he returned. As I reached my desk, I was stopped firmly in my tracks by what was placed in front of my keyboard.

It was the prettiest posy of white freesia, blue iris, pale lavender roses and white camellias I have ever seen, no bigger than something a bridesmaid might carry at a wedding, but it was stunning. I sat down and brought my nose to the blooms and gently sniffed their intoxicating scent. I wasn't one for receiving gifts at work, not personal ones so I was intrigued as to who might have sent them. In fact for a second I also wondered if they might be for Kate, till I saw an envelope sticking out of the top with my name on it.

I carefully pulled the card out and opened it to reveal a beautiful little note.

"_**But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, **_

_**and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine."**_

_Thomas Jefferson_

_**Dear Bella,**_

_**Unlike you, I can't bake for toffee, **_

_**but I know a good place if you'll meet me for coffee?**_

_**Edward**_

My eyes went wide as I read his words. He wanted to see me, for coffee…Oh. My. God! I quickly pinged a message to Angela telling her about the flowers and the note. She messaged me back telling me to Google what the flowers might mean if I wasn't willing to believe he was interested in me based on his note.

I did as she suggested and discovered that my bouquet represented thoughtfulness, hope, friendship and enchantment. To say I was blown away was a ridiculous understatement. Looking back over the note, I couldn't help but giggle as his words showed a light-hearted side to him.

Edward seemed like a walking contradiction to me from what little I knew. Friday he'd been this strong, tattooed angel who oozed sex appeal with a bit of a rough edge to him, yet his business card painted a totally different picture of him, all straight laced and serious, a professional man. Then his responses to the cakes was completely different once again, almost childlike and playful. Did I want to have coffee with him? Of course I did, I wanted to get to know him better. The man was gorgeous, but the likelihood that I was actually his type was small, but still I could most certainly see us being friends. As Angela had also said, he could be helpful in dealing with James.

Now my only real dilemma was how to respond to his invitation. I figured the best route would be stick with the theme of being a bit witty and humorous, and for that I was going to need to think a little bit before I sent him my reply. So while I looked for inspiration, I got my head down and dealt with the work that had come in while I'd been out at lunch.

**EPOV:**

After my phone call to the florist, I sat back in my office chair and smiled with satisfaction. I was certain that what I'd ordered for Bella would not only make her smile, but also set the right tone and provide a gentle enough approach so that I could get to know her. She was stunning in the most unassuming way, and I don't think she truly had any clue just how attractive she really was to the opposite sex. I totally got why James wanted her, but the douche seriously lacked the class that he'd been born into and had approached things in the most un-gentlemanly fashion ever.

How on earth he thought that his behavior was going to be something that any woman found attractive, I don't know. He seriously needed a lesson in manners and I doubted that I'd managed to hammer any into him on Friday night.

Oh my Beautiful Bar Girl. Every time I thought about her I gave a little sigh. Images of her deep brown eyes like pools of molten chocolate that I could quite happily drown in, and her soft pink pouty lips that were just begging to be kissed into oblivion had assaulted my dreams over the weekend. It was so bad that I'd woken up with the worst case of morning wood on Sunday. I had tried to deal with it in the shower but I found myself cringing…it felt wrong to be doing that, but I couldn't pinpoint why it felt so wrong. I'd only known her for 48 hours and already I was turning into a pussy, plus I had the most monumental case of blue balls known to man!

As much as I wanted to just sit and think about Bella all day long, sadly I had a shit load of work to get through today along with another meeting this afternoon, and I really didn't want to be wandering around the office with a raging boner. On top of that I'd agreed to meet Jazz for a bite to eat and if I'm honest, I didn't really have time but I'd not seen him since he'd done my last piece of ink and I could tell when we were at the shop that there was something on his mind.

Maybe he'd tell me today.

After completing a pile of contract amendments which were due to go back to Hunter next week, I was in need of another coffee and possibly another one of Bella's delicious cupcakes.

They were fuckers for trying to lowball authors with publishing deals, but thankfully most had decent representation which prevented them from getting fleeced which was where I came in with contract changes. It wasn't that Hunter was unwilling to pay people what their work was worth, they were just like any other company who had to keep an eye on the bottom line. In the publishing world margins were often very tight, so they would start with a below average offer for the fresh talent, in case the book was a total turkey (which was rare because Hunter had a knack of spotting a best seller before the competition).

I figured I'd take another one of the cupcakes for Siobhan and return the favor by making her a coffee for a change.

Balancing the cake on top of the pile of contracts, I stepped out of my office and paused by Jane's desk. She was sitting there filing her nails, looking bored out of her brain. Taking the cupcake in one hand, I slammed the files down on her desk making her jump. Her eyes shot up to me, then flitted to the work I'd just placed in front of her.

Quickly regaining her composure and spotting the cake in my hand she plastered a smile on her face then spoke in the sugary sweet voice that just grated on me.

"Oh, Mr. Cullen is that what was in the present you received?"

God she was annoying and relentless about knowing my business.

"I don't think that's any of your business, do you Jane?" I replied flatly before adding, "Please take those files to either Seth or Embry to make the changes I've noted, they're expecting them and I need them back by Thursday at the latest so I can review them."

She rolled her eyes at me before huffing, "Of course Mr. Cullen."

Turning on my heels I headed for the kitchen, quickly making coffee for me and Siobhan before walking out to reception to deliver her drink and extra cupcake. I walked over to her grinning and placed the coffee down on the desk before bringing the cake out from behind my back. She shook her head at me, before gently slapping my arm.

"You're gonna make me get fat Cullen," she chastised me with a smirk.

"Oh live a little Siobhan, you are my saving grace in a sea of madness that is Jane," I replied with a frown.

"Sweetie, you have no reason to frown if that pretty little brunette is the reason we're eating yummy baked goodies today. Then again, I suppose the Denali girl is enough to sour anyone's mood regardless of the sugar and chocolate levels in the room," she mused.

"I'm at the end of my rope with Jane to begin with. Her letting Tanya into my office this morning was just more fuel for the fire. One more slip and I'm going to have to force Caius' hand and have her moved or kicked out. She's useless and using her family connections to earn a paycheck, she can't do her job to save her life!" I whined like a kid.

"Honey, when are you gonna learn, you don't have to prove anything to anyone by earning your stripes the way you are doing."

"I have no idea what you're talking about Siobhan," I replied with a smirk, knowing full well that Shelley Cope would have trusted her with my secret. Not something I would discuss in an open office, but I also knew Siobhan wouldn't broadcast personal details of mine. I could trust her with my life.

Just then the elevator dinged and I was assaulted by the smell of food – had someone ordered pizza for lunch?

"Hey, pretty boy…you up for an early lunch?" a familiar voice asked.

I turned to face Jasper as he walked towards me chuckling and shaking his head. He had a bag in his hand from my favorite deli which could only mean meatball subs. Looks like lunch would be in my office today, which would actually be a good thing given how much work I still needed to get through.

"If lunch is on you then we'll eat in my office. You head down there and I'll grab some drinks for us." I laughed.

Jazz headed for my office down the hall while I ducked back into the kitchen to grab my coffee and a couple of bottles of water. I walked back into my office, noting the scowl on Jane's face.

Stepping back into my office, he'd had already made himself comfortable, reclining in my chair with his feet up on the desk.

"Make yourself at home why don't you fuck face!" I snarked with a smile.

"Well you know my ethos bro, mi casa es su casa, and so the reverse must also be true, don't ya think?" He drawled out. I swear you could take the boy out of Texas, but not the Texas out of the boy.

"Bro, you've lived in Seattle most of your life!" I choked out through my laughter.

It was true; he hadn't lived in Texas since he was about eight years old when Carlisle and Esme brought him to live with us. They were unable to have children of their own and being the kind of people they were, they chose not to dwell on the situation but embrace it and use it as an opportunity to offer a safe and secure home for children who were in need of that. I remember him arriving at the house one night, I couldn't have been more than ten years old myself.

_Jasper and his Mom had run from his abusive father and ended up in Seattle, only he'd caught up with them less than a year later. He turned up at their apartment blind drunk and full of rage. Jasper doesn't really remember all the details, but he can recall the police turning up at the apartment and being taken to the hospital with his mother. She died that night from her injuries and the police found his dear old dad passed out in an alleyway near the apartment. Carlisle was on duty in the E.R. that night and took care of Jazz, so he offered to provide a temporary home for him while they tried to trace relatives rather than him getting lost in the system._

_Long story short, Jasper was with them for a month before the social worker admitted they couldn't find any family members, and by this time Esme was in love with the little dirty blonde haired boy who spoke like an old Southern gent. They adopted him and have loved him as their own ever since._

_The state had already cremated Jasper's mom, but Carlisle and Esme insisted on arranging a proper burial for her ashes in their family plot. Jazz's father is however being left to rot for twenty five to life in __Washington State Penitentiary._

_Not long after Jasper was adopted, they took in Emmett who had ended up in a group home after his junkie mom overdosed one too many times and the State stepped in. The social worker remembered the Cullen's from Jasper's adoption and Emmett was brought to live with us._

_My tale is a little different, but the end result was the same, and we love Carlisle and Esme as though they were our real parents. The Cullen and Platt families in return have embraced each child, giving us all the love and support we needed growing up._

I'm brought out of my trip down memory lane by Jasper getting up out of his seat and starting to pace back and forth in front of the window, leaving his meatball sub completely untouched. Something's definitely going on, he's normally so laid back that he's practically horizontal. Jasper with a stick up his ass is not something any of us are used to seeing so this is going to be good (or bad depending on how you look at it).

"Come on Jazz, are you planning on wearing a trench in the floor while you're here, or do you wanna just tell me what's on your mind?" I try to joke with him.

He turned and looked at me with panic in his eyes. I think he might have been sweating a little bit, and he appeared to also be muttering to himself under his breath.

"It's Alice!" he finally squeaked out before trying to continue, "I…um.., you see the thing is…"

Now we're getting somewhere! I knew exactly what he was trying to say, and if he'd only just figured it out for himself because he'd spent the last ten years living like an ostrich then I needed to put him out of his misery rather than add to it.

"Jasper, stop. Before you have an aneurism or something," I sigh.

He stopped in his tracks and whipped his head round to look at me while I continued.

"You love her bro, we can all see it. We just needed you to realize it for yourself rather than one of us point it out for you."

"B…b…but how?" he questioned.

"It's as plain as the nose on your face bro, and I can promise you she feels the same and has done since she was a teenager," I smile thinking of all the little signs over the years that we'd all noticed. He just stood there with his mouth hanging open and the most perplexed look on his face.

"You think I don't know about her Tinkerbelle tattoo on her hip that she got when she turned twenty one? That was her making a declaration because of the nickname you gave her when we were younger. You look at her like she hung the moon, and when she's in the same room as you it's like you are magnets, you gravitate towards each other. You have these weird conversations where you finish sentences for each other or communicate without saying anything at all. It freaks Em out something rotten and he swears it's some voodoo magic."

"Oh Jesus, what am I going to do? It's too complicated, we're family! It can't ever happen, what would everyone say? Ali doesn't need any stress, she's only just opened the shop." He rambled.

He really was making this more complicated than it really needed to be. They are family, but there's no blood relating them. I didn't see the issue, and if anyone should have an issue it technically should be me I suppose. I had to do something to reassure him.

"Jasper, what is your biggest concern about this? Is it that she won't feel the same way as you, because trust me on this one, she is head over heels for you? Or the 'family' thing? That is not an issue for any of us." I tried to assure him.

"But she's my sister!" he cried, throwing his arms up in the air looking even more despondent at this thought.

"Let's just be clear on this one - no she isn't Jasper, not in the sense that would matter. She's my sister, but you aren't related to her. Yes you were raised in the same house and were adopted by the Cullen's, but Esme saw this coming before the rest of us did. Seriously man, if I'm okay with it then, you have nothing to worry about." I stressed, hoping that he would believe me.

Jasper walked back to his seat and sank back down into the leather with a resigned look. He rubbed his hands over his face and then through his hair while contemplating what I'd just said. I just sat back munching on my sandwich while it all sank in.

_Damn I love meatball subs…hmmmm, wonder if Jazz was going to get around to eating his? _

Fingers crossed I had eased a bit of the weight on his shoulders. I honestly didn't have an issue with him and Alice being together, I would trust Jasper with my life, so why not my sister?

When Jasper came to live with us, Alice and I had been with Carlisle and Esme for a couple of years having lost our parents in a car crash. From the day he arrived Alice fussed over him even though he was older than her, but as time went on it morphed into a much deeper affection that they both passed off as familial love and looking out for each other. The rest of us knew they could only lie to themselves for so long before they were able to face the truth, with Alice that had been her 21st birthday when she got her ink done. The funniest thing was that Alice had drunkenly confessed to me on her last birthday that Jasper had done the tattoo himself because he'd told her that he didn't trust anyone else to do a good enough job for her. She'd readily agreed because she wanted his ink on her skin. She wouldn't have had it done if it had been anyone else.

Eventually Jasper started to eat his sandwich and we sat in silent companionship enjoying our lunch. When we'd finished he finally spoke again.

"So you'd really be okay with me dating Alice if she's agreeable?"

Agreeable? This isn't some Victorian novel we're living in! How do I tell him that I think my sister is likely to pounce on him the moment he suggests that they go out together?

"Jasper, just talk to her, see if she wants to go for dinner or some shit like that. If it makes you feel better, talk to Esme about it first. Just please do something, because we can't spend the next thirty to forty years stuck in the seventh circle of unresolved sexual tension hell because you were both too chicken shit to admit how you felt to one another!" I sighed.

Getting back up from his seat, Jasper gathered the wrapping from his lunch and deposited it in the waste bin by my desk; he gave a nod of his head as though he'd just had a silent conversation with himself about something before finally saying, "Okay, I'm going to give it a shot. You might be right about talking to Esme though; she might help me get my head a bit more straight cause I don't want to fuck this up bro."

I chuckled at him darkly, "Oh trust me, the only way you'll fuck this up is if you hurt her, then you'll have me, Em and Carlisle to deal with."

Jazz threw his head back and laughed loudly, the tension and stress finally gone. I got up from where I'd been sitting on the opposite side of my desk and walked around to him so I could get back on with my work. He gave me a one armed hug in thanks and went to leave, as I sat back down in front of my laptop. He opened the door, but paused before he walked out before asking me a little too loudly with a glint in his eye.

"Oh, that reminds me, we need to talk about what went down at the bar on Friday night at some point. Emmett said something about some trouble with that ass-wipe Hunter and a hot little brunette who's got your panties in a bunch. And just for the record, who has pissed in Jane's Cornflakes today?"

"Goodbye Jasper, don't let the door hit you on the way out!" I shouted at him with a snigger, as he high-tailed it out of my office past Jane's (thankfully) empty desk.

It had been good to see Jasper, but I had a shit ton of work to get through before I left for the day. One of my clients was being sued for sexual discrimination by a woman who appeared to be the employee equivalent of an ambulance chaser. She'd brought action against her last 4 employers the moment they started to question her ability to do her job (which it appears they had done with good reason). One of our legal interns had pulled together a whole file full of emails and documents that proved the woman had been failing to fulfill the duties in her job description, I just needed to review the information so I could present it at the case hearing. I suspect that her claim will be dropped the moment I start laying it on the table. God I loved a slam dunk case!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the kind of lawyer that would get their client out of a case like this just because my firm was on retainer with them. I'm a legal guy with a moral compass, and if I think the client is legally in the wrong, I'll advise them so. I have big issues with people trying to take the piss, whether it's a major corporation or a disgruntled employee. That shit doesn't fly with me and I think my father would be proud of the attorney that I've become. This didn't earn me points with some of the more senior lawyers who were all about bringing in the fees, and doing just about anything to keep the client happy even if it meant that they got away with murder (although we didn't handle a lot of that type of case thankfully).

I'm not here to make friends with people; ass-kissing just isn't my style. Change is coming not just at Masen Platt, but for me too, and there are going to be a few pale faces when it does.

Glancing up at the clock, I realized I'd had my head in these files nearly 3 hours. I needed another coffee. Hmmmm and maybe another cake, I thought with a grin.

I grabbed my mug and wandered towards my office door, stretching my aching limbs out as I went. Stepping out of my office, it appeared that Jane was hard at work. On her cell phone! I silently fumed, my need for caffeine seriously outweighing my need to pull her up on her work ethic once again. She didn't even notice that I walked by her on my way to the kitchen.

On my return, Jane was still on her phone chatting away without a care in the world. I paused on the opposite side of her privacy screen as her conversation got a little animated.

"Shit Tan, I can't go through his personal things to get you information. If your dad wants him to go work for him then he'll have to do some work himself. I'm not going to piss him off even more, and I don't want my uncle to be mad at me either. I might not want to be here, but I need the money, you know that." She hissed.

There was a pause, so Tanya was obviously saying something.

Jane sighed, and then spoke again, "Look, I'll help you with the other thing but I'll not compromise the company. That I do draw the line at. The box in his office this morning had cupcakes in it…nope, no idea who, but I would say definitely a woman judging by how cagey he was when I asked about them."

She went quiet again, before cutting Tanya off during what appeared to a typical Princess Denali rant.

"Alright Tan, I'll find out more if I can, but can you quit calling me, I'll call you when I have some info," she hissed before hanging up.

A red mist descended on me as I stalked around the corner towards my office, scowling at Jane as I went. Childishly, I slammed the door shut once I was inside even though I knew I had every right to be pissed with her. This needed to be dealt with before the day was out, but I had to get through these case notes before close of play, but right now I had more pressing things to tend to.

In my inbox was an email from Bella, she'd gotten my flowers. I eagerly opened up the message to see her response to my note.

_**To: **__EACullen__**  
>From: <strong>__IMSwan__**  
>Subject: <strong>__Flower Power_

_Dear Edward, _

_I'm pleased that you liked the cupcakes, hopefully you haven't eaten them all yet, although you didn't have to send me anything in return. That said, thank you so much for the beautiful flowers, they were very thoughtful, and soooo pretty. _

_If you would like to know my answer to your question then please open the attached file._

_Warmest regards_

_Bella_

My fingers hovered over the button to open before I clicked on it to read her response, I was anxious about what her reply might be, and if I'm honest a little scared that she might say no. That said, if I didn't open it, then I'd never know so I went ahead and clicked on the attachment and opened it.

There on my screen was a picture with a white background that looked like a piece of paper, but on that piece of paper, spelled out using brightly colored paperclips, was the word, "YES!"

The rage I'd felt from all the shit with Jane and Tanya just seemed to melt into the background. That one word from Bella calmed me like the gentlest of touches or the smoothest piece of classical music. I don't know what it was, or how it worked, but BBG had some unknown effect on me and I liked it. I did a little happy dance in my seat while grinning like a mad fool at the fact that she was going to meet me for coffee.

All we had to do now was sort out the details, and as a lawyer, I knew that the devil was most definitely in the details!

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Wow, Edward's had quite a day hasn't he? Hands up those that want to bitch slap Tanya into next week, and who thinks that Jane should grow a spine and stand up to Tanya and her railroading (and perhaps get off her ass and get some work done)?**

**I had great fun writing Jasper into the story line, I think he's going to be another Cullen contradiction – in fact all of them are going to be a bit of that I reckon. **

**The next chapter will skip forward in the week to their coffee date. You'll also get to see how Edward finally handles the issue with Jane. **

**It might seem like this story is a bit of a slow burn, but please bear with me while I'm finding my mojo. I do now have pretty much the whole story plotted out, so I just need to weave it into each chapter that I write.**

**Reviews are like cupcakes to me, should be sprinkled liberally, given freely, with love and consideration!**

**Thanks for reading once again.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a shiny iPhone which I love nearly as much as my children!**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me. **

**Lots of love to everyone who has read and reviewed Bar Room Angel so far. A special thanks to Soni's Angel who read the first 4 chapters in one day and gave me the most amazing feedback on each chapter. I may have done a little happy dance in my living room when I got the alerts through for them!**

**OK, so on with Chapter 5, we'll skip forward a little bit to Edward & Bella's coffee date, and maybe we'll also find out what happened to everyone's favourite secretary!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 5:<strong>

_I see trees of green, red roses too  
>I see them bloom, for me and you<br>And I think to myself  
>What a wonderful world<em>

_**What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong**_

**EPOV:**

It had been quite a week since Tanya turned up and Jane had destroyed the last shred of my tolerance for her crap. I think I'd probably worked at least sixty hours, which was unusual given the type of law I practice, but I was drowning in workplace harassment cases at the moment. Thankfully a few things had come about that were going to take the pressure off a little bit.

After I'd overheard Jane's phone call with Tanya I was ready to murder someone. A touch extreme I know, but I was at the end of my rope and needed something to be done pronto. I had pulled Garrett and Caius into a meeting and asked Jane to join us. Once the door had been closed I had let fly with everything that was wrong about Jane working as my secretary. By the end of it, there was a general consensus that Jane really wasn't cut out for that type of role (herself included). It turned out Tanya had been pumping her for info on where I was holding lunch meetings, where I would be after hours so that she could engineer an "accidental" meeting between us when I was with clients or friends. She'd been rather apologetic about her behaviour, and my gut told me that she meant it so I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, provided we made a change.

In her time working for me, Jane's only real talent had been her ability to spot errors on contract amendments that the interns do for me. This led to me suggesting that she move into a research role for me to help deal with sorting information relating to the harassment cases. It would keep her away from my schedule, Tanya's access to me could be controlled, and everyone would be much happier all around. Jane had taken a couple of research skills classes as part of her degree course, and as soon as I mentioned the idea she became the most engaged I've ever seen so I knew I'd hit the jackpot in terms of the solution. Given the sensitivity of the files and the fact the majority of these clients were female, Jane would make a good general researcher who could look at things with more of a human point of view and could be very useful.

So Jane had finished up the week in one role, and starting on Monday she'd be moving into her role as a Junior Research Assistant and she seemed really excited about it, which had been a huge relief for Caius. He didn't really want to have to fire his niece, mainly because he was much too scared of his sister so he was grateful to dodge that bullet. So much for being a bad ass lawyer!

Starting next Monday Siobhan would be my new secretary. It had taken some persuading and a chunky pay rise, but by the end of Tuesday she'd agreed to increase her hours and move across "to the dark side" as she eloquently put it. We both knew that it would be an easy transition because of her helping out Jane during busy times in the past and personally I couldn't wait for this new change to kick in.

The show down with Jane had also led to me figuring out a way that would finally get Tanya and Eleazar Denali to stop hounding me. It would all fall into place by the time The Masen Platt Foundation held their annual fund raising gala in August. This meant I had just over two months to get everything in place.

But enough doom and gloom, time for brighter things!

Bella had been the one ray of sunshine across this week. We'd talked via text and email quite a bit, always keeping things light and a little flirty, but never pushing too far. I wanted this to get off on the right foot, and that had to be the hand of friendship. She'd briefly touched on the subject of her issues with James and I'd been relieved to hear that he wasn't in the office this week, and after talking to a friend who knew the situation she had decided to talk to her boss about it.

I had suggested that we meet on Saturday morning so that I could be one hundred per cent focused on our date with no distractions from work. It also bought me a little time to finalise the details of where we were meeting.

Sure our date was only coffee but I still wanted it to be special, so I'd picked up the phone and called Esme. I remembered she'd bought a couple of rare medical reference books for Carlisle last Christmas and she'd gushed about the independent book store where she'd found them in Capitol Hill. It had a coffee shop attached to it, so I figured we could combine our date with a bit of browsing if she was up for it.

Armed with the name and address of where we were meeting I'd fired off an email to Bella on Friday afternoon and suggested we met there at around ten o'clock on Saturday morning so we could maybe grab a spot of brunch in the café. Emmett had wanted me to call at Eclipse on Friday night but I'd cried off, work had been killer this week and I desperately wanted some decent sleep so I wasn't nodding off in the middle of a conversation with Bella.

So here I am on Saturday morning, trying to make a good impression in a pair of dark wash jeans and a light blue button down shirt that I'd left un-tucked and rolled the sleeves up to my elbows, on my feet were my favourite pair of black Doc. Martens. I wanted to make a bit of an effort even though the point of today was to keep things casual. I'd arrived fifteen minutes early so I could grab a good table for us in the courtyard area in front of the book store.

While waiting for Bella to arrive, I took a moment to scan the menu and flag down a waitress to order myself a drink. The server stood next to me sucking on her pen while I placed my order and then gave me a flirty wink as she went off to get my drink. I rolled my eyes and gave a small shudder. The girl was barely legal and her face was plastered in make-up making her look like an Oompa Loompa with lip-gloss. I couldn't have been more turned off if you'd dressed Emmett up in lingerie and asked him to perform a pole dance…urghhhhhh!

_Wrong, so wrong and now I need brain bleach!_

I'd brought a newspaper with me so I settled down to do the crossword while I waited for Bella and my drink. I'd only answered a couple of clues when a soft feminine cough sounded to the side of me.

_Great, Lolita the waitress must be back with my coffee._

"Just leave it on the table please," I muttered, not really wanting to engage with the server any more than I had to.

A gentle voice asks with a giggle, "Excuse me sir, I was wondering if this seat was taken?"

I whip my head up to the woman standing next to me and I'm speechless. Bella is here and she looks absolutely beautiful.

"H...h…hi!" I stutter out before smiling at her. _Smooth move Cullen._

Trying to rectify my moronic initial greeting, I stand up to greet her properly, but I'm unsure whether to hug her, kiss her cheek or what. Eventually I settle on reaching out and taking her hand in mine. I bring it slowly up to my lips and place a gentle kiss on the back of her knuckles, allowing her hand to return to her side. Bella's cheeks flush at the action, and she gives me a radiant smile back in return.

Stepping back, I finally regain the power of speech.

"It's good to see you Bella; would you like to sit down?" I ask gesturing to the other seat at the table.

"I'd love to Edward," she replies with another one of those smiles. God she's gorgeous.

I take a moment to take in her appearance.

She's wearing a long midnight blue dress made out of some sort of stretchy fabric, a bit like my t-shirts but I can't for life of me remember what it's called. I bet Alice would know! Draped around her waist is a delicate metal chain belt that hangs so it gently hugs her hips. Then to keep the chill from her arms she is wearing a cropped denim jacket that looks like it's been worn to death but is very well loved. I steal a glance down to her shoes and have to swallow back a groan. On her feet are a pair of flat silver sandals with metal decoration that are similar to her belt, and her toenails are painted a sparkly dark blue. It's a very unassuming outfit but she looks totally fucking amazing in it.

I pull out the chair for Bella and she seats herself before picking up the menu to browse. As I sit myself back down I smile as she continues to chew on her lip and crinkle her eyebrow's in concentration while she decides what she wants.

"You didn't have any trouble finding this place did you?" I finally ask to break the silence.

"Oh no, someone at work had recommended this place to me a while ago, but I'd just not gotten round to checking it out yet," she enthused.

"So I was thinking we could grab a coffee, maybe something to eat if you're hungry then go browse the shelves," I suggest.

"I'm not very hungry at the moment, but coffee and browsing sounds wonderful!" she exclaims; her eyes sparkling at the mention of the book store. I'd been bang on the money suggesting this place, she felt comfortable here, safe even.

We'd spent this past week emailing and texting back and forth, but not really talked in any great depth, and now I had her here with me I had so many things I wanted to know.

Just as I was about to speak, the waitress arrives with my drink which she places in front of me with a sickly over glossed smile before asking; "Can I get you anything else sir?" while sucking her finger into her mouth and completely ignoring Bella. To say that I was pissed with this little girl was an understatement.

"I'm fine for now thank you. You might like to show some consideration to my guest and see if she would like anything." I reply crisply.

"Oh certainly sir, my apologies to you and your sister. Now what can I get you to drink Miss?" she snarks.

That shit was not going to fly with me, she was being totally disrespectful to me and Bella and I was about to request to see the manager when I saw something in Bella's eye that told me she was about to lay some kind of verbal smack-down on our delightful server.

**BPOV:**

Sister? Who the hell did this kid think she was, She'd stalked up to the table with Edward's drink and a lascivious smile on her face and it had turned to thunder when she'd seen me sitting at the table with him. Did she honestly think that she stood a chance with Edward even if I was related to him? I know I'm not some blond busty statuesque model type of girl, but I'm no slouch on the looks front. I'm averagely pretty, but I try to make the most of what I've got but not in an obvious way.

It was laughable really because if she couldn't even demonstrate some basic manners in the way she handled customers she was never going to pick a guy as good looking as Edward up while she was working.

She stood there looking at me with one eyebrow arched, like she was daring me to challenge her behaviour. The glint in her eye told me she was ready for a fight, which was totally laughable. This was not a contest, but for the hell of it I wasn't going to let her get away with being so rude. My eyes flickered to Edward's and he looked like he was ready to blow a gasket. I opened my mouth and spoke before I even had a chance to let my brain kick in.

"Aww honey, she thinks we're related. Isn't that cute?" I drawl keeping one eye on the waitress. "She wouldn't be thinking that if she'd heard me screaming your name in pleasure last night!" I smirk, giving a wink to Edward and I silently pray that he doesn't think I'm total loon for being so forward in my response. For extra effect, I swipe my finger across the top of his cappuccino and slip it into my mouth, sucking the creamy foam from my digit. "Mm, delicious. I'll have the same please, extra foam." I request with a smirk followed by a broad smile.

The waitress scowls at me then gives a curt nod before stomping off. It was only when she walks off that I realise exactly what I had just said and done. Fuck my life!

I hang my head, embarrassed at how brazen I've just been. Across the table from me there's a deep throaty chuckle which quickly descends into a full blown belly laugh.

"Oh Bella, that was priceless. You handed that poor girl's ass to her! " Edward chuckles when he's calmed down.

Lifting my eyes to meet his gaze, I'm greeted by beautiful emerald orbs twinkling back at me with a look of mischief and my cheeks flame with embarrassment. The realization of what I just said hits me like a ton of bricks. I'd behaved like a sex crazed nympho in a public place with a man who I'm attracted to. God I might as well have just stood up and pissed all over his leg in front of that poor waitress. Lord knows what he thinks of me now.

Looking down at my lap and focussed on wringing my hands together.

"I'm sorry Edward, my behaviour just then was unacceptable." I started to apologise, "We barely know each other and here I am being so forward. When the waitress returns with my drink I'll let her know how sorry I am. If you want me to leave then I will."

God, now I'd developed word vomit!

Edward smiles at me and leans forward, holding my gaze. "You most certainly won't BBG that was fucking priceless!"

"I feel like I'm making an awful first impression Edward." I groan.

"Don't be silly Bella, the girl was rude and was trying to treat you like you didn't matter." Edward states before exclaiming, "If you hadn't put her in her place, then I would have. There was no way I was going to let her be that rude to you! Seriously Bella, please don't worry about what you said. I'm here because I want to get to know you and I think we could be great friends, maybe even more." Edward adds with a genuine smile and I blush at his reassurance. Hopefully we can continue our 'date' without any more embarrassment.

Just then our 'friendly' waitress returns with my drink, pushing it in front of me and spilling some coffee over the sides.

"Do you want to order anything to eat?" she grits out with a forced smile.

Before I have a chance to reply Edward chips in with a sly wink, "I dunno sweetheart, do you reckon it's too early in the day to share a chocolate fudge sundae with extra _sauce_ and _whipped cream_?"

I gasp, bringing my hand up to my mouth to hide not only my shock but to cover the giggle that's threatening to escape. Edward dismisses the waitress who looks ready to blow a gasket.

"So now we've dealt with that, how about we enjoy our coffee and start getting to know each other?" He suggests.

"Alright then, what would you like to know? For want of a better phrase, I'm pretty much an open book Edward."

"Let's start with the basics then, you give me some insight into who Miss Isabella Swan really is, then maybe we'll move onto more juicy things." He says with a smirk.

"You're on Mr Cullen, I'll play the game, but how about once we've gotten each other's potted history we make it a bit more interesting?" I ask him with a smile.

"Oh this could be fun!" He chuckles, "Shall we say ladies first?"

"Okay, so you already know my name. I grew up in Phoenix with my Mom after my parents divorced, but moved to live with my dad in Forks which is about three hours away from here when I was seventeen. I went to UDub and majored in English with a minor in Creative Writing. I love books. Everything about them from getting absorbed in the written word, the smell of the printing ink and the feeling of being the first person to break the spine on a brand new book. It's an addiction if you like. I work as an Editor's Assistant at Hunter publishing which you know, I have a great boss and I'm hoping that soon she'll give me the chance to start reviewing manuscripts." I rattle off.

"Not enough, there's more to you than just the books Bella. Come on, spill it!" Edward says playfully.

"Well, I love to bake. It's like therapy for me. Some people drink when stressed, I'll churn out batches of cupcakes and sugar cookies. My other love is music, while I can't play a single instrument, I love to listen to most genres and there's nothing like seeing a band performing live. How's that for you?"

Sitting back in my chair I smile at Edward before picking up my coffee and bringing it to my lips. Taking a sip of the hot foamy goodness, I start to relax a little and take a moment to take in the man sitting opposite me.

He's just as breath-taking as he was on the night we met, with his coppery hair in wonderful disarray, well defined cheekbones and sculpted jaw. Every so often his lips form a little pout or curl up into a slight smirk and I'd love to know what's going on in his head. He's dressed a little differently too, more conservative than Friday, but he still looks damn fine in that button down shirt. Instead of wearing it as most of the professionals in this town would, he's left it un-tucked and rolled the sleeves up showing well defined forearms, and the top two buttons are also undone revealing a small wisp of chest hair.

Sadly there is no sign of his ink today, which reminds me – that needs to be one of my five questions.

"Much better Miss Swan, do you want me to go first, or shall I ask my five questions?"

"I think we should do this 'quid pro quo' don't you Edward?" I ask with a smile.

Edward smiles at my playful banter before starting his own mini biography. "I was born in Chicago, but have lived in Seattle most of my life. I have a sister who is three years younger than me and our parents were killed in a car crash when I was nine. We were adopted by our god-parents Carlisle and Esme Cullen. They also adopted two other kids, Emmett, who you've met and then there's Jasper who owns a tattoo shop and is hopelessly in love with my sister Alice and has only just realised it."

He speaks with such reverence about this part of his life and it makes me smile as he goes on to give me more details about himself.

"I graduated from high school a year early and went to Harvard to study for my undergrad and then did my J.D. there. I've been working at Masen Platt for the last six years. I went into law because of my father who was also an attorney, I hope that I've made him proud so far." He says with a wry smile, but his tone is filled with sadness.

I reach across the table and take hold of his hand which has been fiddling with the coffee cup in front of him, giving it a gentle squeeze. As our hands connect there's a zing of electricity which radiates up my arm. I can't explain what it means, or what caused it but I kind of like the feeling. If Edward feels it too, he doesn't give anything away, instead he finishes telling me about himself.

**EPOV:**

Shit, what was that?

It felt like an electric shock or static perhaps. Whatever it was, it felt amazing. The tingle when Bella reached out and touched my hand was like my whole body had come to life, and my heart had started beating for the first time since college. That being said, I was determined to take baby steps with Bella, not just because of what shit she's been going through with James, but I was scared. I know it makes me sound like a total girl, but I'd spent years building this shell around myself, not letting women get close to me for fear of having my heart ripped out and trampled all over just like it had happened in college. The wall wasn't going to come down overnight.

Bella pulls her hand away and sits back taking a sip of her coffee. She looks like she is studying me intently, so I continue to tell her about myself.

"Music has been a massive part of my life since I was small. I play piano and guitar pretty well, and like you I'll listen to anything, especially if it's a live performance. I enjoy cooking when I've got the time. Thankfully Esme taught me to fend for myself before I left for college and now I can make wicked mushroom ravioli from scratch. Oh, and I'm also quite partial to receiving baked goods as a thank you from a particular brunette." I add with slight smirk – hint, hint Bella!

She throws her head back and laughs heartily at the last part of what I was saying. It's a wonderfully musical, girly giggle which quickly degenerates into full out snorting.

When she's finally regained her composure she looks at me with twinkling eyes, "Edward, if that's your attempt at subtlety then I think you need to go back to school. But if it's my cookies you're after then you only have to ask. I'll gladly give you some."

Sweet Jesus, does she have any idea how naughty that just sounded? I smile and shake my head to remove the thoughts I'm in danger of having. The last thing I need is to leave this table with a raging boner. I shift in my seat, hoping to prevent any problems.

I quickly drain my coffee cup and take a breath, "So that's me in a nutshell. How about we settle up here and take a wander through to the book store? We can ask our killer questions while we browse."

"Sounds like an excellent plan." Bella says with another killer smile.

I flag down the waitress and request the bill. While I'm waiting for her to bring it Bella excuses herself to go freshen up in the bathroom. By the time I've settled up Bella has returned. I suspect our delightful waitress will be in an even bigger huff when she realises that I've left the exact amount for our drinks and no tip. Don't hate me for it, but I abhor rudeness and bad service. I may have been brought up fairly privileged but I was taught that manners cost you nothing but they are worth everything if you want to make a good impression.

I reach out and grab Bella's hand to lead her toward the book store, "Come on BBG, let's get looking and you can think of your questions."

"Oh, I've already got five lined up Edward." She says with a knowing smile, "But I may just need another five, because there's plenty I want to know."

"Well how about each time a question gets asked we both have to answer it?" I suggest, while I hold the door open for Bella to enter the store. As we stepped in I was blown away by how quaint this place looked.

It really was a wonderful space that looked steeped in history. The décor looked like it had stepped out of an early 1900s novel. Lots of muted cream and brown tones on the walls and dark stained wooden shelving going from floor to ceiling. I suspect that if you climbed to the top shelves you'd find a layer of dust nearly as old as the store.

"Oh I think I can handle that!" She replied.

As we wandered the stacks looking at the latest titles, Bella asked her first question, "So I noticed when I was at Eclipse that you've got some ink. How many tattoos do you have and what's the story behind you getting them?"

I remembered her reaction that night when she'd ordered her drink at the bar, she'd been checking out my arms I was sure of it. Now I knew for definite and this chipped another part of the wall away. She was interested in the way I'd marked my skin, she wanted to know about it. A lot of people who know my family and what I do for a living will frown or gasp in shock when they see my tattoos. Bella's different though, and for that I'm willing to tell her about all of my ink.

"I have five in total." I tell her. "All of them are personal to me. They represent who I am and the important things in my life. I have a Celtic cross to represent my family's Irish roots. Some Latin over my heart, those words have given me strength more times than I can remember. There's musical notes from a song that means a lot to me and then my most recent one is for my birth parents and it was only finished a couple of weeks ago. Jasper has done all my ink, I wouldn't trust anyone else with something that's so important to me."

Bella nods in understanding. "So what's the fifth tattoo of?" She asks.

I want to tell her, but I'm kind of OCD about my ink. When a new piece has been finished, the first person to see it after Jasper is Esme, and I'm seeing her and Carlisle for dinner tonight so I can show her.

"It's kind of complicated, and I do want to tell you about it, but I promised Esme she'd be the first to find out about it after Jasper finished it. Can I tell you another time?" I ask her quietly, not wanting her to think I'm unwilling to share.

"Of course, tell me when you're ready." Bella concedes graciously.

I concentrate on looking at the shelves while Bella absorbs what I've just told her. I dare say that she will want to know more, but I'm not sure I can open up fully about my body art so early in our relationship. If that's what it is.

But she doesn't say anything, she just smiles to herself.

"Of course Ms Swan…if you're really good I may just let you see them for yourself. So what about you, any body art?" I can't resist asking with a teasing tone.

And she blushes again! Oh now I have to know what she's got on her. I'm looking at her intently, willing her to start talking, but Bella continues to wander down the aisles running her hands over the books. Eventually she gets to the end of a set of shelves and she turns to me, the blush gone and a determined look on her face.

"I don't have any tattoos. I've always wanted to get one, but I've never had the guts to go through with it. Maybe it's the pain aspect, and I'm not the biggest fan of needles. Also I've got no idea what I'd have done," she confesses.

I can understand her thinking I was sweating bullets before Jazz did my first piece, but the moment the gun started buzzing and the needle made contact with my skin it was like some kind of perverse therapy for me. Now I can fall asleep on the bench while I'm being worked on.

Hang on, she just denied having any ink, so does that mean she's got piercings?

"So what about piercings?" I ask tentatively, and the blush is back in full force. I'm curious to say the least.

"Well I've got the standard issue ear piercings like most women. I've also got a Helix at the top of my right ear which is normally covered by my hair." She explains quietly before biting that damn lip again and walking around into the Rare Editions section of the store.

I'm stuck in a moral dilemma now. I'm sure there's something she's not telling me, but I don't want to push the conversation into uncomfortable territory for her. So I leave it for now, and decide which of my five questions I want to ask.

Deciding to play safe, I follow behind her to a set of shelves full of Classic British Literature.

"We'll park that one for now." I tell her gently and she gives me a look of gratitude.

I move on to my first question. "So it's clear that you love books Bella, but which genre would you say is your all-time favourite?"

"We're standing right next to it," she grins up at me before dropping her gaze back to the old books in front of her.

It's at this point that I notice that I'm standing close enough to her for it to be considered an invasion of personal space. I can smell her perfume and it's the most wonderfully subtle floral scent that doesn't overpower, yet it leaves me feeling intoxicated all the same. My mind and senses are filled with Bella and all I want to do is wrap myself around her and inhale her, devour her till I can't breathe.

Every fibre of my being is crying out to do something, anything, but I'm so unsure of myself and how I'm feeling that I hold myself back.

Bella runs her fingers back and forth along the spines of the old editions, occasionally pulling one out and tracing the contours of the cover before flicking through the pages inside.

I'm struck by the sheer beauty of this woman before me who is taking pleasure from such a simple leisure activity. She's the most perfect little thing I've ever seen and I realise that I'm in so deep and I have no desire to escape.

Slowly I reach my hand out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear to reveal the piercing she told me about. I run my finger across it reverently before bringing my head down to hers and quietly whisper to her, "So a sucker for a good romance then?"

Her breathing hitches as I place a gentle kiss on at the top of her cheek before standing up straight again. Surreptitiously glancing down to gauge her reaction to what I've just done, I feel relief at the sight of her with a bright smile.

"So what's your favourite book then?" I ask softly. I desperately want to reach out and touch her, be close to her.

"That would be your second question Edward," she says raising her eyebrow before reaching out for my hand again gripping it firmly, pulling me along the shelf. We come to a halt next to the Bronte section and Bella starts scanning the shelves obviously looking for a book to demonstrate. She reaches around me, effectively pinning me to the wooden frame. We're so close you would struggle to get a piece of paper between us. Bella's soft body is pressed up against me as she stretches up on tiptoe to reach for her prize. Tenderly she grazes her lips along my jawline, her breathing getting shallower as she gets closer before she snatches her hand back and drops back to being flat on her feet, the book now in her grasp.

She smiles coyly and presents the book to me. The cherry red leather is worn from being read, the gold inlay print on the cover is faded through aging. I look at Bella and she's practically dancing from one foot to the other while her expression urges me to look at the spine. I turn the volume over and see the words "_Wuthering Heights" _on the side. This is one that I remember from high school, just about.

I open the book to see how much it's valued at, it's not a particularly rare copy, and reasonably priced at fifty five dollars. This time it's my turn to take hold of Bella's hand as I lead her purposefully back towards the main part of the store where the cash registers are.

"Edward, where are we going?" Bella squeaks, trying not to laugh.

I place the book on the counter and the store clerk rings through my purchase. I hand over my credit card to pay and the clerk wraps the book carefully before placing it in a little brown bag. With my purchase firmly in my hands, I turn to Bella who is standing there with her mouth wide open looking at me as though I'm crazy.

"For you." I say with a triumphant grin, as I press the bag into her hands.

"Edward, this is crazy. I have a copy of Wuthering Heights already. It's too much." Bella sputters.

"Nonsense, I'd have spent at least twice that if I'd taken you out for dinner. Maybe even more depending on the restaurant." I counter before adding, "Please, I want you to have it."

Bella nods her head in acceptance and smiles at me before taking the bag from my outstretched hands. I'm so relieved she took the gift, when the idea popped into my head to buy it for Bella, I didn't stop to think whether it would be too much or that she might think it too extravagant. The relief is probably etched all over my face as we dawdle towards the exit to the street.

**BPOV:**

He bought me a book! Not just any book, beautiful leather bound copy of Wuthering Heights. I'm so touched by his generosity that I'm practically swooning.

We wander down the block making idle conversation about his life growing up with the Cullen's who sound like an amazing family. He tells me how he decided to study law so he could follow in his father's footsteps hoping that he would have made him proud, and how he ended up working for the family firm with Esme's brother Garrett who has been his mentor since he joined. We touch on more personal things like him missing his parents, especially during the holiday season and the anniversary of their death.

In turn I tell him about my law enforcing father whose idea of mixing things up a little is to have a burger instead of a steak at the local diner, and my mother who married a baseball player who is only a ten years older than me. I try to gloss over the fact that Renee jumped from rich guy to rich guy after she left my dad before finally hitting what she saw as the jackpot with Phil who had been signed by a team in Jacksonville, but Edward being a lawyer can tell that I'm not giving him the full story, his eyes watching me intently.

We've been walking for the last thirty minutes and it's getting close to lunchtime so Edward suggests that we grab a sandwich from a nearby deli. I readily agree because my stomach is growling and if I'm honest, I'm not ready for my time with Edward to end. So over a couple of turkey Swiss subs we pick up our killer questions from earlier.

"So what's your favourite song and why?" I ask him.

Leaning back on his chair, Edward sucks in some air shaking his head and mulling over my question.

"That's a tough one, there's so many songs that hold meaning in my life. But if I had to choose just one then it's the one I've got inked down my side. Hallelujah."

I know the song, it's one of my favourites, but I'm curious about which version he prefers and why it's important to him.

"So are you a Cohen, Buckley or Wainwright supporter?" I ask before taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Buckley all the way. Don't get me wrong, Cohen wrote it and he nailed the lyrics, but for raw emotion it has to be Jeff. He took a simple yet complex beautiful song and made it something so much more. It's what made me pick up a guitar and learn to play."

I nod my head. It's the very same reason that I love the song. "I agree, it's a highly charged song that lays the singer bare, but there's also a sexual undertone to it." I add, giving him a wicked grin.

"Yep, I heard that Buckley described the song as a hallelujah to the orgasm," he counters with a wink. I'm in the middle of taking a sip of my soda and nearly spit it out all over the table. Edward tries to hide his laughter, but he's struggling.

Once he's regained his composure he asks me what my favourite song is.

"I have a top ten that changes constantly depending on my mood, but there are two that always stay there. Blurry by Puddle of Mud and God Only Knows by The Beach Boys. They're songs that have gotten me through some unhappy times. The Beach Boys one in particular reminds me of Charlie, he's a massive fan and after Mom moved us to Arizona I would listen to that song over and over. Almost as though that song would give me a direct telekinetic link to my Dad. Silly I know, but when you're nine years old it makes perfect sense."

"You don't have to justify that sort of thing to me." Edward murmurs, "I know all about trying to hold onto memories and fearing that they will slip away with time."

We sit for a while in quiet contemplation as we finish our lunch. As he screws up his sandwich wrapper Edward clears his throat before speaking.

"Bella, I hate to do this but I need to head home. I've got some files I need to review before I head over to Carlisle and Esme's for dinner."

"No worries Edward, I've got a hot date with a pile of laundry which I can bring forward in my schedule!" I quip, trying to ease the guilt that's etched all over his face. "Thank you so much for inviting me out today though, I've really enjoyed myself." I assure him hoping to make his beautiful face look a lot less stressed.

We walk out of the deli towards the bus stop so I can head home. Edward grabs my hand spinning me around to face him.

"I've had a wonderful time getting to know you today and I'm just going to put it out there…I like you…a lot," he blurts out, blushing like a teenage boy who's just asked a girl to prom.

I gasp at the honesty of his words as he steps towards me, bringing his free hand up to trace down my cheekbone and cup my face. He lowers his mouth to mine and places the softest gentlest kiss against my lips. It's chaste but it makes my heart thump at a million miles an hour inside my chest. I eagerly press my lips to his in response, gently sucking on his bottom lip and I swear he groans at this action. Edward lets go of my hand and wraps his arm around my back, pulling me in for more as his lips continue to graze against mine. Not once does it go beyond the delicious sweet pecks that he's placing on my mouth, but I feel more from this than anything I've ever felt before.

The bus pulls in next to us and reluctantly I pull away from Edward.

"This is me." I say nodding towards the bus.

Edward sighs and leans his head against mine, a smile playing on his lips at what's just happened. I've also got a grin plastered across my face.

"Bella, can I see you again tomorrow night? I'd like to take you for a drink if you'd be willing to join me?" He asks with pleading eyes.

"Yes, of course, I'd love to!" I exclaim excitedly as I move to get on the bus, but steal one more kiss before I climb the steps. "Call me or text me with where you want to meet."

I pay the driver and quickly take my seat by the window so I can wave to Edward. He stands on the sidewalk giving me a million mega-watt smile and a subtle wave as the bus pulls away.

Halfway home I realise that we didn't ask all of our questions, so I fire off a quick text to him.

**Bella: I forgot to ask you…why do you sometimes call me BBG?**

His reply is instant.

**Edward: It's what I called you when you first walked into Eclipse that night. It stands for Beautiful Bar Girl. Little did I know that your name would be Bella! LOL**

He thinks I'm beautiful. Nobody has ever called me that apart from my father so that doesn't really count. I hug the bag containing my book and inside I'm doing a little happy dance.

This morning has been wonderful even after my verbal meltdown in the café. Edward is a fairly complex guy who clearly loves his family and his job, but I get the feeling that there's so much more to him than that. On the surface he's a driven, professional, a little stiff and starched, but then outside of that he's strong and brooding like I saw at Eclipse. His tattoos tell his story. He has them for him and him alone, wearing them with pride.

Yes, Edward Cullen is a very interesting creature and not only am I intrigued by him, but I'm also totally smitten with his mixture of boyish charm and slight edge.

I'm in danger of falling hard and fast for Edward and I have neither the desire nor the inclination to stop myself.

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><p><strong>AN So there you have it, their first date. I know it was quite a long one and there's a lot of dialogue, but once I got into the swing of writing this one, I couldn't really stop myself. Fingers crossed you enjoyed this one. I'm loving Edward's insecurities, one minute he's confident in his actions, the next he's nervous around Bella. Who enjoyed Bella's reaction to the childish waitress?**

**I know there's still some unanswered stuff like what happened when Bella spoke to her boss, but all will be revealed as the story progresses. Please don't feel that the way that Jane was dealt with was a cop out, there's more going on that you're just not aware of yet. Trust me! **

**Next up will be their Sunday night drink, some more questions and answers, and a whole load more flirting and UST!**

**As always, thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you enjoyed it then please tell your friends about it. Feedback is always gratefully received, so please take the time to leave me a review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a car that is in desperate need of being cleaned out!**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me especially seeing as she's been without her computer for the last week or so! Looking forward to updates on your stories now you're back in commission hun!**

**Major thanks also to everyone who has read and reviewed, your feedback is appreciated more than you can imagine.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 6:<strong>

_So, I won't hesitate no more,_

_No more, it cannot wait I'm sure_

_There's no need to complicate our time is short_

_This is our fate, I'm yours_

_**I'm Yours by Jason Mraz**_

**BPOV:**

Monday morning was a bit of a downer for me. Edward had asked to see me again and I was giddy at the thought of this, but when he called me on Sunday morning he'd asked me for a rain check. There had been a problem with some files that he'd taken home to review and the intern that had been responsible for pulling the information together on a pending harassment suit had screwed up. It meant that instead of us meeting as planned, Edward was spending Sunday in the office trying to locate the missing information that he needed.

I could tell when we spoke that he was pretty hacked off and I was fairly bummed out too, but I told him not to worry about it and that we could always arrange something for later in the week if he wasn't too busy.

I'd swallowed back the disappointment during our call and reassured him that it was fine with me.

To console myself at the lack of date on Sunday night, I made very quick arrangements with two of my very good male friends…Ben & Jerry! A carton of Phish Food later and everything was right with the world, although my jeans were feeling a little tight and I had to undo the top button to make breathing a little bit easier.

That was how I spent my Sunday evening, along with thoughts of Edward's kiss at the bus stop. His touch had been so gentle, so warm and full of promise, yet never pushing for more, but part of me wanted more…so much more.

I'd gone about my usual routine in the office on autopilot this morning, and for some reason I was struggling to get going. Maybe it was because yesterday had been such a washout, or perhaps it was because I was itching to see Edward again!

Kate was going to be late in this morning due to the monthly senior staff meeting that always took place over breakfast at a nearby hotel. I was just sorting through the newest set of manuscripts for Kate when a message appeared on my computer screen.

_**AWebber: **__Hey Bella, just to warn you, James is in the building & Lauren's already been broadcasting his return. You might want to keep a low profile; she's been trying to find out who sent you the flowers last week. Her current theory is that you sent them to yourself!_

I groaned, "There goes what's left of my optimism for the day!" as I typed a response.

_**ISwan: **__Thanks for the heads up Angie, think I'll keep my head down for as long as possible where both of them are concerned!_

_**AWebber: **__Don't blame you girl. She's desperate to know where the flowers came from though. Do you know that she once asked me if you were a lesbian just because you've never mentioned a boyfriend or any guys from your past! _

_**ISwan: **__Gee, she really knows how to make you feel good about yourself! _

_**AWebber: **__The girl is only interested in herself or any juicy gossip she can get her hands on, don't take it personally. You wanna catch up for coffee this afternoon; you can fill me in on your weekend and how your chat with Kate went on Friday. Can't do lunch today, I'll be stuck typing up the minutes from the monthly off-site once they're all back._

_**ISwan: **__Yeah, that would be cool. How come you got out of taking the minutes this time?_

_**AWebber: **__Dentist appointment, so I think Jess went instead._

_**ISwan:**__ Oh right, congrats on dodging that bullet then. Plus the notes will be legible if Jess has written them – lol! Catch you later. _

_**AWebber:**__ No worries, I'll ping you when I'm taking my afternoon break._

I continued to sort through the manuscripts and allowed my mind to drift back to the conversation I'd had with Kate last week about the situation with James. I'd been so nervous about telling her, because ultimately while I trust her and knew she'd be supportive, a little part of me worried that her loyalty would lie with the Hunter family and ultimately James.

My fears had been unfounded though. When we sat down for our weekly catch up, Kate had joked that I looked like I was about to be sick. As I sat there explaining that I needed to tell her something important that was difficult for me to discuss, she looked panicked and questioned me;

"_Please tell me you're not quitting Bella? I'll never find another assistant as good as you!"_

_I chuckled quietly and shook my head, "No Kate, it's nothing like that, although what I need to tell you may mean eventually I have no choice but to leave."_

"_What is it then?"_

"_It's not easy to say, but I've got a problem with another employee here at Hunter and the problem won't go away." I started._

"_You're not getting hassle from the secretarial team are you, I swear those bitches have nothing better to do with their time than sharpen their claws and gossip like old women!" she exclaimed, her voice starting to rise._

"_No, if only it were that simple Kate. The issue is with a man, he works in the Acquisitions team," I trailed off, not quite sure how to tell her it was James._

_Kate looked at me, her brow furrowed as though she was trying to work out who it might be. There were at least half a dozen potentials in her head by my reckoning. "Umm, you need to tell me more Bella, I won't be able to help you if you don't give me more info."_

"_OK, well it's been going on for a few months now. I think I'd been here about two maybe three months when he first started paying me attention. At first it was just him saying a quick hello to me in the break room, or asking me how my weekend was. I didn't pay much attention to it at first; I just thought he was being friendly. Then he started to ask me more information about my weekends and what I'd been doing. " I explained._

"_Sounds harmless enough, so what changed?" Kate asked._

"_Well, about a month or so ago, he started asking me out on a date. I politely told him 'no' but he's refused to accept that I'm not interested. Since then he's cornered me in the break room, copy room and here at my desk when you've been in meetings. He's getting more and more suggestive and insistent that I accept. He seems to think that I'm attracted to him but I've given him absolutely no impression that this was the case." I choked out as tears started to form at the corners of my eyes._

_From her desk, Kate passed me a tissue so I could wipe my eyes._

"_Then a week ago I was out with some of the girls from the office and he was there. He cornered me when I came out of the bathroom. He pinned me against the wall and started touching me. He was too strong for me to get away from Kate, I was so scared. He just kept pawing at me telling me that he knew I wanted him and that if I told anyone they wouldn't believe me. They'd just think I was trying to sleep my way to the top!"_

_Kate sat there looking like steam was about to start coming out of her ears. She was ready to blow and it wasn't going to be pretty. I winced in anticipation of her reaction._

"_Tell me he didn't hurt you Bella?" she pleaded with me looking horrified at what she'd heard so far._

"_No, I have a few scratches from where he was pawing at me, but no permanent scars. Thankfully one of the bar staff saw what was happening and came to my rescue, and he was thrown out of the bar." I smiled thinking of Edward. "There weren't any problems in the office last week, but I feel really uneasy, like it was just the calm before the storm."_

"_Who is the little weasel, I'll rips his balls off, stuff them in his pocket then march him into Laurent Hunter's office personally to have him dealt with Bella, I swear to God I will!" Kate cried_

_I was slightly taken aback by how strong her reaction had been. I thought she would take the devil's advocate route and tell me to go to Personnel about it, and not want to get involved. Then again, at this point I hadn't told her who it was and I still wasn't sure what her response would be when I told her. I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep cleansing breath, praying that I had the strength to go through with telling her. Another deep breath and then…_

"_It's James Hunter." I whispered and then cringed at the verbal bomb I'd just dropped._

"_Oh shit!" was all she said in reply and then silence._

_I didn't dare look at Kate and then the tears were back in full force, only now they were tumbling down my cheeks and I was choking out huge bubbling sobs. How could this end well now I'd just outed the boss's son for being a nasty perv who couldn't keep his hands to himself. Kate was still quiet, but she looked like she was mulling something over in her head. It was another few minutes before she spoke._

"_OK, so proving he's done anything in the office is difficult, and anything that happened at the bar is outside of work so difficult to use with Personnel or his father. For now, just sit tight, be careful about being alone in quiet places in the office. I'll watch out for you too, and if needs be I'll take it to Laurent Hunter myself if I have to. I carry a bit of weight around here as one of the more senior members of the team. I will support you Bella."_

_Relief flowed through me and I let out a breath that I wasn't aware I'd been holding in. Sagging back into my chair I silently prayed that James would back off. At least I could be thankful for having a good relationship with Kate, and I knew I could trust her._

I was broken out of my daydream by a Starbucks cup being placed on my desk. Looking up there was Kate grinning at me.

"Morning Bella, thought it was about time I returned the favour," she chuckled pointing at the steaming latte sitting in front of me.

"Mmm, it's about time slacker, what time do you call this?" I asked with a cheeky grin.

"Well some of us have important work to do. We can't all sit around daydreaming." She responded with a tight smile before bursting out laughing. "Besides, I come bearing good news for you so you'd better start sucking up to me or I won't tell ya!"

"Oh Kate, you know that I just love working for you! You're my hero! I worship the very ground you walk upon!" I simpered trying not to crack up.

"Seeing as you put it so nicely...I've talked to Alistair about you starting to review manuscripts. He agrees that it will be good for your development, and you've come so far in the last six months of working for me." She beamed.

I couldn't believe it, things were starting to turn a corner for me.

Kate headed for her office to catch up on what she'd missed this morning and I sat there in a state of shock. About ten minutes later an email came through from her confirming what she'd just told me along with some extra details. It turns out that as this was a change to my current role it meant a revision to my contract but also a raise and some extra benefits. Today was looking better by the minute.

The plan for the day was somewhat altered as a result of my good news. I wouldn't be able to meet with Angela because Kate wanted to spend the afternoon discussing the scope of my new responsibilities. We were also going through the new batch of manuscripts that had come in today to work out which would be the best ones for me to cut my teeth on. Angie was fine about it though and we agreed to go for a bite to eat after work tomorrow instead. Excited didn't even begin to describe how I was feeling. I was practically giddy with the thought of reading other people's work, something that had the potential to be the next best seller! This afternoon was going to be busy which meant that I only had time to have lunch at my desk today.

I'd just gotten back to my desk after grabbing a sandwich when my phone chimed, announcing that I had a text.

_**Hey there beautiful, I truly am sorry about yesterday. Heads may have rolled around here due to the fuck up! Anyway, I was just wondering how your day was going? E **_

I blushed at his opening words. I don't think anyone has ever referred to me in that way. Well, maybe my Mom or Dad, but they don't really count. Even my last serious boyfriend had only ever called me 'babe' or 'doll' which I couldn't stand, but put up with anyway. Urghhh, just thinking about him makes me shudder…yep, that was a lucky escape.

_**Hi yourself, my day is going pretty darn good actually. I've had some good news about my job. How's yours been after yesterday's mess? B**_

I sat there waiting for his response but found myself startled by the ring tone instead. He was calling me! I was fizzing with anticipation as I pushed the answer button.

"Hi!" I breathed out. Wow, wasn't I the conversationalist today!

"Hey Bella." came the velvety smooth voice at the other end. "So what's your good news then?"

I really didn't want to boast about the new work stuff even though I was over the moon, so I tried to downplay it somewhat. "Umm, nothing major, just my boss is going to give me some extra stuff to do and I'll get to read new manuscripts coming through. What about you, everything Okay with your case?"

"My case is fine and not important right now. However, your news is. More responsibility is a big thing, you should be proud." Edward enthused while I sat at my desk feeling my cheeks starting to flush. I was not used to the attention nor the praise.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. It's what I've wanted since I started working here." I muttered.

"Come on Bella, stop being so modest, this is something we should be celebrating!"

"I don't want a fuss Edward, it's not like it's Christmas or Thanksgiving." I tried deflecting but he was having none of it.

"Right, well I say it is, but I didn't say we'd be making a fuss. You can celebrate something without drawing attention to yourself…well, unless your name is Emmett that is!" He sniggered.

I giggled at his mention of his brother. During our conversations last week Edward had told me more about the mountain of a man who owned Eclipse and his ability to make a party out of nothing and to open his mouth before letting his brain engage.

"So, seeing as I bailed on you yesterday, would you be free for drinks after work tonight perhaps?"

As luck would have it, I had absolutely nothing planned and there was no way I was going to turn down an opportunity to see Edward.

"I think I have space in my diary to fit you in," I teased.

"Excellent Miss Swan, you've just made me a very happy man. Seeing as the weather's good today, how about we meet at Pike Place around six thirty? There's a great little bar down there that has a patio looking out over The Sound."

"That sounds wonderful Edward. Would you text me the details of where we're meeting? I'm due in a meeting with Kate about how my role is going to change." I asked

"Yeah, of course I can BBG, I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight." He affirmed.

"Me too Edward...very much." I smiled into the phone.

We said our goodbyes and I grabbed my notepad before heading into Kate's office for the meeting that was going to take me on the next step of my publishing journey.

**EPOV:**

Not being able to see Bella on Sunday had put me in a shitty mood come Monday morning, but luckily a stern talking to from Siobhan and a large cup of coffee and I was coming out of my funk about that at least. Things were full on with this case which was causing so much hassle. It was busting my ass more than any of my other cases and it was the one case that I was not prepared to lose. About three months ago we'd met with the girlfriend of one of our clients; Emily Uley had been at a work function when one of the company's senior managers had dragged her into a meeting room and propositioned her. She'd politely declined saying she wasn't interested, but the manger wasn't willing to accept the knock back. Things had come to a head one night late in the office when she'd been propositioned again but when she refused again she was assaulted by the manager. Emily had gone straight to the emergency room where they'd documented her injuries which included a pretty bad cut to her face which had now left scars.

The issue was that the senior manager was female and married so when the police became involved the company had stood by the manager and claimed that Emily had a case of sour grapes because she'd been knocked back for a promotion. Despite Emily's employer having security cameras in the office, the footage from the night of the assault had mysteriously disappeared as had a number of emails from Emily where she'd asked the manager to leave her alone.

The good thing was that there was DNA evidence which meant that there had been an assault charge bought, but Emily had been fired from her job so we were fighting a suit for wrongful dismissal and sexual harassment on her behalf. It was not an easy case, but Emily's boyfriend Paul was determined to make them pay and admit the truth because she was now living with the scars while they carried on as normal.

While a large number of my cases were about representing the businesses and their employment needs, Masen Platt was a bit of an anomaly in the Seattle area, we had morals and believed in defending someone who had been treated badly and so I was taking on more of this type of case. Cases were often complex and full of roadblocks, but I liked a challenge…it made the victory all the more sweet! If a client wanted me to lie for them it wasn't going to happen, I'm not that kind of man or lawyer. I'd advise them on the best way to handle their issue within the scope of the law, but I wouldn't allow them to cover up a crime or wrongdoing. It was this that set me and my firm apart from a lot of our competitors, and if they didn't like it, well they could always give Denali Law a try.

I'd spent most of Monday working on a file of depositions hoping to catch a break with tracking down the missing emails or something that would get us a subpoena for either computer hard drives or their servers to try to trace things. I'd been in the office since six, and not left the room since, apart from a quick bathroom break. Siobhan had been my salvation, throwing a sandwich through my door at one o'clock saying she was frightened that I would waste away. I was slowly losing my mind!

The only light in my day had been the phone call with Bella. Just thinking about her made me smile and kissing her on Saturday had been exhilarating. I had no idea that such an innocent kind of kiss could leave me feeling so breathless, not to mention how tight it had made my jeans. I was in danger of Emmett demanding I surrender my 'man card' because after only a few hours in Isabella Swan's company I was hooked and I honestly didn't know how to deal with it, but I couldn't stop myself if I tried. Not that I actually wanted to, and that was a scary feeling for someone who has shied away from commitment for so long.

Desperate to make up for cancelling last night, I was pleased when she'd said she was free for drinks and as I stood outside the bar in Pike Place where we were meeting feeling a little bit nervous, but really hyped about seeing Bella again, I hoped that at the end of the evening I might be able to steal another kiss or two from her.

A cab pulled up to the sidewalk with Bella sitting in the back seat. She spotted me and waved, giving me a million dollar smile as she climbed out of the taxi. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me as I took in her appearance, fuck me did she look delicious. She was every red blooded male's workplace fantasy dressed in a flimsy cream blouse that rippled in the breeze, her waist was cinched in by a wide black shiny belt and she had on a tight slim fitting black skirt that skimmed her knees. She was every inch the professional woman. Classy yet sexy, and I almost didn't dare look at her feet for fear that I might just cum in my pants on sight!

Oh Lord, she'd done it again with the footwear! Black heels with the sides cut away and peep-toes with some sort of bow thing on the top. Unghhh, I had to bite back a groan before I stepped over to greet her.

"Hi Bella," I breathed, trying hard not to stare at her. The last thing I wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Good to see you again Edward," she smiled, her chocolate brown eyes twinkling.

I needed to touch her, but I wasn't sure how receptive she'd be to a hug. An idea flashed into my head and I reached for her hand. Pulling it up to my mouth I grazed the back of her knuckles with my lips in a light kiss before allowing her hand to return to her side.

Bella's breath hitched at my action and colour flooded her cheeks. Damn that blush is adorable.

"Shall we head in and grab some drinks?" I suggested, nodding towards the entrance to the bar.

"Absolutely!" she exclaimed with another one of those superb smiles.

I reached out for the door and held it open so Bella could walk in ahead of me. It was the gentlemanly thing to do, but a part of me…a big part of me wanted another opportunity to check out her ass in that skirt. The view didn't disappoint in the slightest. Swallowing hard and following Bella into the bar, I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to just give it a gentle squeeze. I had a feeling that it would be soft and supple with just a hint of firmness - like a ripe peach.

Bella turned her head slightly and caught me looking – busted! Cue my turn to blush! Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Edward Cullen and I'm a pervert!

In my head I was trying to formulate the words to apologise for my appalling ogling, but Bella just gave me a knowing smirk and a wink. Instantly my pants got a little bit tighter. Oh my life! If that's the effect she's having on me with just a look, what the hell could she do with her hands or her…no, better not go there Cullen. Not a good idea to let my thoughts get to that point just yet, although I certainly hoped they would eventually. Right now though, I wasn't sure I'd be able to take my jacket off without her spotting the problem I had going on.

I gave her a small smile before offering my arm for her to take while we walked out onto the terrace to find a table. Bella graciously accepted my offer and curled her tiny hand around the crook of my elbow allowing me to lead the way. The hostess on the patio quickly found us a nice private table tucked away in a corner where we could enjoy what was left of another rare bright day, looking at the view out onto the water as the sun started to set.

Holding Bella's seat out for her, she slid into it offering her thanks at my gesture. I took chair to the side of her so that I could be closer to her while talked.

"What can I get you to drink?" asked our server.

I glanced at the menu on the table then gazed at Bella pointedly, "Hmmm, I'd say that your good news deserves someChampagne, but I'll let the lady call the shots."

As much as the statement was about the drinks we were ordering, I hoped Bella understood the underlying message I was conveying. I'd thought about where things would hopefully head between us and while I was optimistic that we could have something really good after so many years of me staying emotionally detached from women, I wasn't to going to rush into this. Nor was I going to push Bella to take steps she wasn't ready for either. The shit with James was still pretty raw and I know she'd been dreading him coming back to work this week.

Bella blushed and lowered her head, reading the drinks menu intently.

"Um, I'm not much of a Champagne drinker, but I know very little about wine either." She shrugged looking embarrassed.

"It's not about knowing anything about wine, it's about liking what you drink. Please pick what you'll enjoy, I'll be happy with whatever you choose." I assured her, taking hold of her hand as it rested on the table top.

Bella nodded in acceptance. "Okay, how about a Chardonnay?" she asked me, looking unsure which one to pick.

The waitress looked to me for confirmation. Quickly scanning the options I settled on one that I thought she'd enjoy.

"Let's go for a bottle of Beaune du Château." I suggested. The waitress nodded and left us.

"Edward, that's an eighty dollar bottle of wine, that's not necessary!" Bella exclaimed.

Gently squeezing her hand to calm her, I leaned in whisper in Bella's ear, "I would have bought you the most expensive bottle on the list if that was what you wanted BBG."

Seeing as I was so close, I chanced my arm a little and softly pressed my lips against her skin just below her ear to put a stop to her worries about the cost of wine. It might sound ridiculous, but despite this only being the third time I'd met Bella, I would gladly give this sweet, gorgeous and sexy woman the moon on a stick if she asked me to. It confused the fuck out of me because half the time I hadn't got a clue what I was doing, but it felt right, and I wanted this feeling to continue.

In truth this was new territory for me. Since graduating college and closing the door on the disaster that was my relationship with Victoria, I'd never dated someone for longer than a couple of weeks. I wasn't looking for long term or anything serious so while I wasn't a total man-whore when it came to getting some release, when I did decide that I needed some action I was pretty ruthless in getting what I wanted. Don't get me wrong, I never behaved like Hunter does, that kind of shit just doesn't fly. Nope, I used my charm and my looks and the rest just seemed to follow. Some of the women obviously hoped for more, and my honesty was a bit too much for those who I ended up in bed with, but I never misled them or gave them false hope. Now I found myself wanting to spend time with this amazing woman, protect her from the bad and delight in the good. This feels so right and I am completely powerless to stop it, it's almost as though she sings to me and I'm being drawn in by her call.

Just don't tell Emmett or he'll be revoking my man card the moment I walk through the doors of Eclipse and declaring that I've lost my cock and grown a 'mangina'!

"So how has work been today?" I asked, hoping that the good news she'd had about her role hadn't been overshadowed by any encounters with James.

This question made Bella beam brightly to the point that the corners of her eyes got these little crinkles.

"Oh it was great, started out a bit sluggish, but then Monday is often a 'downer' day. Once Kate came back from the Editor's meeting and told me that Laurent was happy for me to start reading manuscripts my day improved ten-fold."

"So when does this all begin and what does that mean for your role?" I asked.

"Well, as of next Monday I will officially be a Junior Editor instead of an assistant. I'll still work under Kate, which I'm pleased about, she'll be a great mentor for me. This week she's letting me pick a couple of manuscripts from new authors to start cutting my teeth on and I'm also helping her find someone who can replace me as her assistant. They'll also provide a bit of support for me when I'm pushed for time." She explained with such enthusiasm that she was practically bouncing in her seat.

The waitress returned with our wine and asked if I'd like to taste it. I declined, preferring to just pour a couple of glasses and continue to relax with Bella.

"That's wonderful; you must be beyond excited about things."

"Oh I am," Bella smiled again. Seeing her smile so much warmed me, her enthusiasm was infectious to say the least.

We continued to make small talk about each other's day and how the weekend had gone since we'd seen each other on Saturday. Before I knew it we'd been sitting there for an hour and had drained the bottle of wine. The sun was now almost set and there was a distinct chill in the air.

Bella shivered a little despite the patio heaters that had now been switched on. It was time to go, but I wasn't ready for the evening to end just yet.

"Bella, it's getting chilly out here, would you like to go inside or if you'd like, there's a lovely little Italian bistro across the street where we could grab a bite to eat." I suggested while keeping my fingers crossed that she'd say yes.

I think the wine was starting to get to Bella as she giggled lightly, licked her lips suggestively and replied, "Mmm, I'm hungry, I could definitely eat something."

She gave a wink and then hiccupped loudly.

"Come on tipsy girl, let's go get you some food," I chuckled as I stood up holding my hand out to her. Bella rose gingerly and steadied herself on my arm. I really did need to make sure she had something to eat soon. I pulled a hundred out of my wallet and handed it to the hostess as we left the patio and walked back through the bar onto the street.

There was a real buzz in the atmosphere around Pike Place this evening as we headed along the sidewalk towards the restaurant. I had a beautiful woman on my arm and a smile as big as The Space Needle on my face, a great big fucking smug one if I'm honest. Bella trotted alongside me in those damned killer shoes and part of me hoped she'd stumble a little so I'd have an excuse to wrap my arms around her. No such luck though and we made it safely across the street to the restaurant.

**BPOV:**

I was a little bit drunk, and had been feeling brave when I'd winked at Edward telling him I was hungry. I wasn't lying, I was totally starving, and I'm sure my stomach was in danger of rumbling so loudly that they'd be able to hear me on the other side of The Sound! It wasn't just my head that was buzzing either. The more I got to know about Edward the more I was attracted to him and the more I felt that tingle in my girly bits. If we weren't sitting in a restaurant right now, there's a distinct possibility that I would have climbed over the table and mounted him as he sat there smirking at me while I gnawed away on a breadstick like it was the last one in existence.

The waitress who was serving us had flirted shamelessly with Edward as he requested a table for us and when she'd taken our order. I'd had flashbacks to Saturday and the floozy from the café, and while I understood that Edward was an attractive man, beautiful in fact; it was just plain rude to openly hit on a man that was clearly with a woman regardless of who they might be.

I might have growled at her quietly, okay more like loudly and Edward must have heard because he barked out a huge belly laugh and ignored her, preferring to stare at me intently. The waitress just scurried away having taken our order. Hopefully she hadn't spit in my mushroom ravioli or Edward's lasagne.

"This is delicious!" I moaned after the first mouthful. Looking across the table to Edward, his eyes darkened and he dropped his head slightly letting out a big sigh, almost as though he was trying to regain his composure.

"You Okay?" I asked before taking another bite of the delicious pasta dish.

"Yeah, just…can you umm, maybe not make that moaning noise so much while you eat?" He answered awkwardly, looking slightly embarrassed and shuffling around in his seat.

"Oh," was all I could respond with. Oh, oh, OH! Shit me, my moaning had turned him on. Holy mother of fuck that was hot and again I wanted to climb over the table and devour him instead of the pasta. Yep, totally not acceptable in the middle of a restaurant.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"It's okay," frowned Edward looking as though he wanted to say something else but was second guessing himself.

We continued to eat our meal and I kept the noises to a minimum. Conversation resumed once more and it was as relaxed as it had been when we were at the bar earlier. We talked about what we had coming up this week, a bit more about our jobs and families. Before long we had finished our meal and Edward had insisted on picking up the bill as part of my promotion celebration. He wouldn't listen to my protests, but gave me a small concession when I told him that I would be buying dinner next time.

Back out on the sidewalk we strolled along the pavement and this time Edward had reached out for my hand and grasped it firmly. Now I had food inside me I was no longer feeling tipsy, nor did I have the urge to bitch slap any woman that smiled at Edward. As we walked Edward asked the one question I knew he'd been itching to ask since we'd been in the restaurant.

"Bella, have you seen James since he came back to work?" He asked quietly, almost afraid to voice it. Edward looked disgusted at having mentioned James, but the sincerity in the tone of his question told me he was just asking to make sure I was safe.

"Relax Edward, I've not seen him at all today. I know he's back because one of the secretaries broadcast it around the office." I assured him.

"That's good. I know you said you've spoken to Kate about it, so if he does anything else I want you to promise me you'll tell her," He pressed before adding "and me."

"Edward, I promise you, I won't be hiding anything again. Now that Kate knows I feel safer in the office too. Outside of the office, well I think I'll be okay there too," I gave him a knowing smile.

Edward stopped and turned to look at me intently, "I hope so Bella, now that I've found you, I'm kind of taken with you."

"That's good, because I'm kind of taken with you too," I whispered back to him.

"Well if the feeling is mutual, hold still…there's just something I want to try," he whispered back as he lowered his head closer to mine. His right hand crept up brushing some stray hair away from my face before gently stroking his fingers down my cheek. His eyes holding my gaze, blazing with the intensity I'd only ever read about or seen in the movies. Bringing his lips to mine, they softly brushed against my mouth just like they had on Saturday, but this time there was more intent behind his actions.

Edward's lips puckered as he pressed them to mine more firmly. The hand that had been stroking my face had now found purchase in my hair and was gently fisting it as he pulled me deeper into the kiss, his lips yielding as he pressed his mouth to mine. I responded with fervour as the noise from the people walking around us faded into the background. In that moment there was only me and Edward.

He nibbled at my top lip, gently sucking it into his mouth before releasing it and swiping his tongue along the bottom one. I moaned against his lips as he continued his exploration, wrapping his left arm around my back holding on to me tightly, almost as though he feared I might disappear if he were to let go.

Completely captivated by everything about Edward's embrace, I was drowning in his scent and his touch. It was like being caught in a bubble of Edward and it smelled like sandalwood, fresh linen and rain. A heady combination that made me dizzy and I had no wish to burst the bubble.

Edward's tongue swiped my lower lip once more, this time asking for entrance to my mouth. I didn't care one bit that we were standing out on the street or that we might have an audience, all I cared about was revelling in the sensation as I granted his silent request. Our tongues danced together in a gentle tango; there was no fight for dominance.

I have no idea how long we continued like that, but I was brought out of my haze by Edward drawing back so we could catch our breath before placing more gentle pecks on my lips, cheeks and finally my nose then resting his forehead against mine. He sighed contentedly and I smiled.

This was right, exactly how a girl wanted to be kissed.

It was a kiss like no other I had ever experienced. Everything that had gone before just paled into comparison.

Heaven; that was the only word I could find to describe what I'd just experienced.

A kiss from an angel, my bar room angel.

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><p><strong>AN****:**** Sooooo, that's their first proper kiss! How did I do this time? I was nervous when I started to write the end of this chapter because even though it was a simple action I was trying to describe, it was totally out of my comfort zone but I'm trying to take their relationship forward at a pace that feels right.**

**I'm hoping that I've now set things up for a few things to play out over the next few chapters, although I must confess that being a Brit, I have no clue what places are like in Seattle so I've been doing a lot of surfing and finding places to act as inspiration. I'm open to suggestions on places they can go in the future seeing as I'm not a local. The bar that Edward & Bella went to was inspired by a place called **Maximilien in Pike Place, the view of the mountains and the waterfront from their patio.

**Thank you once again for sticking with me, giving me your support and encouragement, and giving me the motivation to continue with this story.**

**Lou xx**


	7. Chapter 7

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a large mountain of ironing that I never seem to get to the bottom of!**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for providing**** beta'ing**** this chapter for me, and to everyone who has read and reviewed my little story so far. Special shout for this chapter goes to Rinnie1215 who left me some amazing feedback a couple of days ago.**

**This one felt like a bit of a filler when I finished it, but after I read through it again my view changed. There were things that I wanted to be covered and some seeds that needed planting and this was the best way for me to get them out there. There's not a huge amount of dialogue, but some more insight into Bella and Edward's minds so I hope you guys like it.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 7:<strong>

_Take these Broken Wings_

_And learn to fly again, learn to live so free_

_When we hear the voices sing_

_The book of love will open up and let us in_

_Take these Broken Wings_

_**Broken Wings by Mr Mister**_

**BPOV:**

I'd made it to the end of the working week with minimal contact with James. Since he'd returned to the office I'd deliberately steered clear of the Acquisitions department and thankfully there hadn't been any meetings where he'd been in attendance. After my dinner with Edward on Monday I was practically floating on air, and the last thing I wanted was a run in with James to sour my mood.

Kate and I had been working together to get me up to speed on reviewing manuscripts and I'd also gone to her with a suggestion of who could replace me as her assistant. The role had been advertised internally and I'd encouraged Angela to apply for it when we'd had an early dinner on Tuesday. She hated working in Acquisitions and the more James harassed me, the more she wanted to be away from him. Lauren had also applied, however her desire for the role was merely to use it as a stepping stone till she could snag an Assistant's role with one of the Executive team and Kate knew this, so I'd been delighted when Kate offered the position to Angela this morning.

Tonight we were celebrating with a movie at my place. I'd fixed a rather large jug of Cosmopolitan cocktail which was now chilling in the fridge, Angela was bringing the pizza so we were all set for a girl's night in where we could set the world to rights, watch a couple of movies and chill.

While I was waiting for Angela to arrive, I sat at the counter in my kitchen with a mug of coffee thinking about what I was going to cook for Edward tomorrow night when he came over.

Oh Edward, Edward, Edward…just thinking his name makes me want to swoon. After our dinner on Monday and 'that kiss' I'd found myself craving to be in his presence more and more.

He was definitely not what I'd expected him to be when I first met him. His brooding looks, angular set jaw, pouty lips and mop of what can only be described as 'freshly fucked' hair mixed with the tattoos gave him that edgy bad boy feel. Yet he was strong and sure in his actions, almost powerful in the way he carried himself, but with an underlying gentleness which showed whenever he touched me.

On Wednesday Edward had been meeting with the Head of Acquisitions at Hunter to do with some author contracts so he'd asked if I wanted to grab a sandwich once he was done. I had been worried that he might see James while he was in the building but thankfully Edward had been holed up in the boardroom all morning and James had gone off-site to meet with a potential new signing so any issue was avoided.

Edward was waiting for me outside the deli across the street from my office, leaning lazily against the wall looking ridiculously handsome in his black tailored suit, crisp white shirt and black skinny tie. We snagged a booth and shared a ham and Swiss sub. I was sitting with one hand resting on the table and Edward inched his fingers towards mine before decisively twining our hands together, his thumb rubbing gently across my knuckles.

We talked about how our week was going; mine was surprisingly good due to the lack of James and the manuscripts that Kate and I had selected for me to get my teeth into. His week was not going so great, several of his cases were kicking his ass, though a new associate would be joining Edward's area of Masen Platt to help pick up some of the work and ease the pressure on him.

I marvelled at how easy it was to talk to Edward, how in sync we seemed to be in such a short space of time and how comfortable I was around him despite past experience having made me put walls up when it came to the opposite sex. Edward seemed to be rapidly chipping away at my defences and I was putting up no resistance to him.

As we talked, his gentle touches on my hand continued and I found myself leaning in to him, inhaling his scent and just absorbing the feeling of being close to him. Every so often he would press his lips to my temple, or near my ear. The lightest of pecks, the softest of kisses and they were driving me crazy. Ridiculously innocent to the outside world, but I was on fire and I suspect my blush was giving me away to the man sitting right next to me.

All too soon our lunch was finished and we parted outside the deli with a chaste kiss on the lips and a promise from Edward that we would see each other at the weekend. I had offered to cook for him on Saturday night, so he was providing the wine and a movie.

I was snapped out of my thoughts of Edward by the entry buzzer sounding. Angela had arrived which meant that I was a couple of minutes away from a few slices of thin crust cheese feast and some good old girly chat.

Dashing to the entrance of my apartment, I buzzed Angela in and put the door on the latch for her while I grabbed the plates, napkins and the Cosmo jug from the fridge to take through for our chick flick fest.

"Hey girlie, where are you hiding?" Angela called from the hallway.

"Kitchen, but heading for the lounge!" I yelled in response.

Angela wanders into my living room with a smile as big as the moon and a huge pizza box.

"One large cheese feast with mushroom, as requested my friend!" She winked at me as I stood there savoring the aroma, like Garfield would sniff the air whenever lasagne was being served up.

Snapping me out of my cheesy fungus induced trance Angela coughed loudly, "Ummm, would you and the pizza like to be alone? I'd hate to be the third wheel tonight."

"No it's okay" I grinned and joked, "It's a relationship that's doomed to fail, the damn thing is only good for dinner and a movie!"

"Damn girl you crack me up! I'll dish up while you get us set up with this evenings viewing pleasure. What did you decide this time?" She asked while grabbing the plates to serve the pizza.

It had been a tough choice because Angela and I had been going through a bit of a retro phase when it came to our movie nights. We usually decided on a theme for the evening and then the person who was hosting the get together would be in charge of choosing two films that fell under the category. Last time we'd been riding high from the new season of Grey's Anatomy starting so we'd gone with a "McDreamy – the early years" theme so Angela had chosen Can't Buy Me Love and Mobsters.

Tonight's theme was a bit cliché but after Angela had suggest the theme of "80s tough guys with a soft side" while we were having dinner during the week I was up for a challenge.

"Well, I think you'll be happy with our viewing choices for this evening. How does a little Johnny Castle and a bit of Dalton sound?"

"I'm with you on the first one honey, it's a classic, but you lost me with the last one I'm afraid." Angela looked at me somewhat clueless.

"Oh Angela, you poor sheltered thing, we're having a Swayze double header with the ultimate chick flick and the classic that is Roadhouse!" I waved the DVD cases in front of her.

"Well now you've explained it, you'll be getting no complaints from me. Double Patrick sans shirt, bring it on girl!" She giggled.

I popped Roadhouse in the DVD player and settled on the couch next to Angela as she passed me a plate with my pizza.

"Oh baby, come to mama!" I crooned as I brought the first slice up to my mouth, openly salivating with hunger. To the side of me, Angela collapsed in hysterics at my blatant flirting with our dinner.

"Do I need to tell Edward that he's got some competition?" She asked through her laughter.

Oh, she had to mention my own personal kryptonite. When we'd had dinner earlier in the week I'd told Angela about what had been developing between me and Edward. I was falling for him fast and hard; but that at the same time I was scared of letting him in completely.

I smiled to myself at the thought of my wonderful bronze haired, handsome angel

"So everything is going well I take it?" Angela asked with a knowing smile.

"Very," I agreed before taking another bite out of my pizza slice.

"So have you told him everything about James and why he bothers you so much?"

I sighed and shook my head slightly. While we'd had a few short discussions about James and what had happened, we hadn't talked in depth about it. I was reluctant to reveal too much just yet because we hadn't placed a label on what was going on between us. I wanted us to be on completely the same page with regards to what our 'relationship' was before I told him more about my past dating history and why I was so leery of someone like James.

Allowing Edward to see the real me was not something that I had a huge problem with, but we'd only been seeing each other for a week and only known each other for just over two, we'd not quite made it to the 'you show me yours and I'll show you mine' stage . Yes we'd had our little question and answer session at the book store and I'd been completely honest with him. It's just that I don't have a great track record with men if I'm honest, nor do I have a huge amount of experience with them. I have no idea if telling Edward more about me will send him running for the hills or not.

That said, just because I have limited experience, doesn't mean I don't know what I want and Edward is exactly that. The fire that I feel whenever he's touched me leaves me burning for hours. It's so bad I think I might spontaneously combust with need.

Ridiculous I know seeing as we've only just met, but I find myself drawn to him like someone's switched on this huge electro-magnet and I'm made of iron. I can't stop the pull.

"I know I'm going to have to tell him Ange, but now isn't the right time. We're just figuring out what this is between us. If it's going to be something to hold on to, which I hope it is; then I will tell him everything. Can you blame me for avoiding bringing Paul or my mother into the picture so early? He doesn't deserve that…nobody does," I grimace.

Angela chuckled at the mention of Renee, "Say no more. Now let's get this party started and pour me some boozy pink drink missy!"

An hour later we were well on our way to being blitzed, had drooled and dribbled all over my couch because of Patrick's magnificent shoulders, not to mention his brooding, tortured hard guy persona.

"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot to tell you. Mike asked Jessica out on a date!" Angela squealed. Alcohol turns her into such a girly gossip, but its great entertainment.

"Oh wow, that's fantastic. He's a nice guy, and when she's not with Lauren, she's a great girl. I think they'll make a cute couple," I commented with a smile. "I bet Lauren had something to say about it."

"Oh there's plenty that one had to say in the office today. She's fit to be tied because Kate didn't choose her for your old role, and then Jess told her she was going out for dinner with Mike tonight," she giggled.

"So she had no partner in crime to help her bitch about the injustices of this world, and how she could do the job so much better than anyone else that Kate picked including me or you?" I added drily.

"Indeed," was all Angela said, giving me a wry look. We both collapsed on the sofa in fits of giggles. It really was ridiculous how Lauren behaved in the office. She waltzed around like she was top dog and that she was better than anyone else who worked in a support role. Basically she was a social climber who had designs on getting to the top with the least amount of effort to do it, and screw anyone that she had to step on to get there.

Kate knew what she was like, which was the main reason she didn't want her to replace me. She's determined to worm her way into the Executive's Office, and I doubt that it will be hard work that gets her there. Offering the role to Angela had been a no brainer, and come Monday I would officially be a Junior Editor and I couldn't wait.

"So how long before she sets her eyes on the space in Acquisitions?" I mused.

"Good question, but in all honesty do we really care?" She bounced back.

"True. Now you might want a tissue in a moment because it's about to get sad," I said, nodding towards the screen. Our leading man had just arrived back at the bar to find his mentor played by Sam Elliott lying dead on the bar with a knife stuck in his chest. I loved the old guy in this film, such a charmer and a loveable old rogue. A true gentleman, and when he died in this film I always blubbed like a baby.

It was nearly midnight by the time the end credits rolled on Dirty Dancing, and Angela was sparked out on my couch in a Cosmo induced coma, snoring like a freight train and occasionally mumbling about having the time of her life. Not having the heart to wake her, I grabbed a couple of blankets from the linen closet and covered her up as best as I could before turning the lights out and heading to bed.

After completing my nightly routine in the bathroom, I stripped out of my clothes and pulled on my favourite pair of pink and gray plaid flannel pajamas and climbed under the covers. I picked up my phone from the nightstand and noticed a text from Edward.

_**Hey there, just checking we're still on for tomorrow night? **__**Emm**__** roped me in to help out at Eclipse tonight - the place isn't the same without you! E xx**_

I let out a little sigh; I'd missed him tonight too. More than I realised, and I couldn't wait to see him tomorrow either. I decided to fire a reply back to him and hope that he was on a break.

_**Of course we're still on. You like pasta right? Hope your shift hasn't been too busy or as dramatic as the one where we met! B xx**_

I lay back on the pillows smiling to myself. As bad as that night had been, Edward was the shining light in all of it, and everything since then had been beyond what I could have hoped for. I hadn't felt this good about something since the day I was offered a permanent job at Hunter having spent 12 months as a floating temp administrator. I'd initially gone into the company as temporary cover for secretary who supported Alistair Hunter's assistant who was out sick. When the secretary returned to work, Alistair's assistant suggested that they keep me on because I picked things up quickly and my degree was relevant to their business. The day Kate's assistant resigned, Alistair had personally offered me the role and I'd just about bitten his hand off to accept. Since that day I'd worked my butt off to prove I'd got what it takes to succeed in the Editorial department.

I was just starting to doze off when my phone dinged. Edward had responded!

_**It's been pretty quiet BBG, and while the night we met was somewhat lively, I'd take any amount of drama as long as it led me to you. I love pasta and I'll see you at 7pm sharp! E xxx **_

Sleep eventually claimed me as I drifted off with a smile the size of the Grand Canyon on my face and my cell phone in my hand.

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><p><strong>EPOV:<strong>

After a wonderful evening with Bella celebrating her good news and the most phenomenal kiss I think I'd ever experienced I was floating about like a fool who had been shot in the ass by cupid. Every time I thought about tasting her perfect, plump, pouty mouth, my lips began to tingle. Never before had I felt like this– and let me tell you, I'd had more than my fair share of kisses from women. Even during my college years when I thought I was in love with her, those kisses had never made me feel like this.

I walked into work on Tuesday with a spring in my step and a smirk on my face. I was determined nobody would be able to ruin my good mood. The junior associates looked at me like I was crazy when I wandered into the library whistling to myself as I handed out research assignments for a couple of cases that I'd picked up. Siobhan had given me shit for behaving like a lovesick fool, but deep down I could tell that she was glad to see me with something to smile about.

Life around Masen Platt was about to start getting even better too. I'd joined the firm fresh out of Law School and hadn't looked back. My speciality was Corporate Law, but as more harassment and unfair dismissal cases came our way, it soon became evident that it was my real niche. Garrett and Caius were keen for me to build it up into a specialist area for the firm, and given that there was a lot of change coming within the firm I was more than happy to do it. The one thing I didn't want to be accused of was riding on the coat tails of family reputation or having my successes handed to me due to nepotism which was the rumble that had been going around the firm for the last year based on how close Garrett and I are.

I'd worked damned hard for the firm and they'd nurtured and encouraged my talent exactly how I wanted, but there were those who questioned why I was still only a Senior Associate and this was something that Eleazar Denali had picked up on about a year ago when he started coming after me to join him. He was offering me what he considered the deal of a lifetime, but I knew exactly what kind of game he played with his firm. Old Eli liked nothing more than to gather trophies for his firm, but they were very rarely rewarded with making it to Partner level. In fact he ran his firm in a very odd way because those who he referred to as Partner level had no actual stake in the business; they just got a share in the profits if they billed a certain amount over the year. He was determined to keep the firm in the family, so the only true Partner was his daughter Irina.

If he thought that the lure of joining his firm and becoming a Partner by marrying the parasite also known as Tanya would be enough to sustain me for the rest of my days then he was sorely mistaken.

Hell no, in the next few months I was going to show everyone exactly who I was, what my role meant to the future of the firm and what I was capable of doing for Masen Platt, and it would all start on Monday with the arrival of our newest hire.

Wednesday was a great day for me too; I'd been over to Hunter Publishing for a meeting with Acquisitions about author contracts. This meant I could take Bella for a quick lunch and the deli across the street from her office was perfect for us to catch up on how our week was going. It also helped that we'd managed to snag a booth so I was able to be as close to her as possible. I'd craved her touch since Monday night, so it just felt right for me to hold her hand or pepper the side of her head with gentle kisses shared our lunch.

During the Senior Associates meeting on Thursday afternoon it had been announced that Ben Cheney would be joining Masen Platt from Denali Law the following Monday to work with me. I'd known about the plan for the last couple of months, as Garrett and I had been courting him to jump ship. Like so many other Denali employees, I'd heard Ben had become less than enamoured with some of old man Denali's business practices, and the types of cases he was pushing his staff to take on.

Ben had been the year below me at Harvard and I'd heard great things about him on campus, but couldn't for the life of me fathom why he'd joined Eleazar's firm a couple of years after he graduated. It turned out that Ben had been working in New York, but then his father had died of a heart attack and Ben moved home to help his mother out. He applied to Masen Platt at the time but we weren't hiring at his level, so he'd had to go where the money was, which meant selling his soul to Denali in favor of keeping a roof over his younger brother and sister's heads.

Several years later, Ben was working himself into the ground with the kind of slippery customers that I went up against in harassment cases and he was no closer to making partner. I'd run into him at a legal conference and we'd reconnected over a twelve year old bottle of Macallan where the idea of getting him to join me to build up a specialist team had started to formulate in a slightly alcoholic haze. Garrett &and Caius immediately jumped on the idea and within a week Ben had handed his notice in, and he'd been on gardening leave since Denali found out he was joining Masen Platt, deliberately holding him to his full notice period, unlike a lot of firms who would have just paid him in lieu and shoved him out the door.

Denali hated to lose so he'd deliberately made things difficult for Ben and for us, but he would soon learn that he would never win against me or the firm, no matter what stunts he tried to pull.

Work had been so busy this week that I'd had to cancel dinner plans with Carlisle and Esme on Thursday night which led to questions from Esme about whether I was working myself too hard and if I was eating properly. I resisted the urge to tell her that I was a grown man and could look after myself, and instead let her fuss over me down the phone line like the wonderful mother that she is.

Friday saw me up to my neck in more depositions relating to Emily's case which was still going nowhere fast. By the time I stopped for breath and looked at the clock it was already gone 2pm and I'd been hard at it for nearly four hours without a break. Standing up from my desk and stretching like a cat, I was about to grab my wallet and go grab a sandwich when my door opened and in strode Esme, in the cream cashmere coat I'd bought her for Christmas last year, chestnut hair swept up in some sort of twisty thing, looking every bit the society woman that she was – without any of the snide, calculating demeanour I might add. Hanging from her right arm was a small wicker picnic basket and tucked elegantly under her left arm was the Gucci clutch bag that Alice brought back from her last trip to New York.

Hey, I pay attention to nice things. If I didn't Alice would disown me. It doesn't mean I'm surrendering my man card no matter what Emmett claims!

"Edward, I thought if Mohammed won't come to the mountain then the mountain had better haul ass to Mohammed and make sure he gets fed properly!" She greeted me with a warm smile.

For a brief moment I was lost for words as hurricane Esme took charge with full effect, neatly piling my case files to one side of my desk and carefully laying out a small linen tablecloth before placing two china plates and glass tumblers.

"E...E…Esme, what are you doing?" I sputtered out feeling utterly confused.

"Shush boy, I spoke to Garrett this morning and he mentioned how bogged down you were with this case, and you weren't likely to be coming up for air anytime soon. I was in the area so I thought I would bring you a spot of lunch!" She beamed back at me, her eyes twinkling with glee at having sprung this on me.

She turned back to her basket and started to unload plastic containers and some linen napkins to finish the table setting off. Esme was the master of attention to detail, which was why she was always in charge of organising the Masen Platt Foundation gala each year, but her connections with Masen Platt went further than that.

Esme's maiden name was Platt and she's Garrett's sister. She is one of the firm's owners, although she no longer practices law. She gave that up the day my parents died, stating that Alice and I needed her more than any silly case she might be working on. The role of a soccer mom seemed to suit her perfectly, and it gave Esme more time to devote to the foundation which was hugely important to her. She still has her license to practice law and occasionally provides advisory services to the firm when needed, normally in cases relating to divorce and she does some pro-bono work on behalf of the firm at one of the women's shelters in Seattle who need advocacy services.

To say I am in awe of the woman that took on the role of my mother when I felt so lost and alone would be an understatement. I owe her and Carlisle so much for everything they've done for me and Alice, protecting us when we needed it the most and making it possible to shine in our own right without the ghosts of the past from being held over us.

While I always wanted to follow in my father's footsteps as a lawyer, I wanted to do it in my terms and at my pace. That was why I worked under the Cullen name and I was proud to do so, but that didn't mean I wasn't proud of where I had come from and soon enough the critics would be silenced.

I hadn't realised that I was still standing in the middle of my office, totally spaced out by what was going on around me. Esme shook me from my musings by playfully poking me in the side.

"Come on my dear boy, you need to eat, and I just happen to have your favourites waiting for you. Besides, I think you and I need to have a bit of a chat, don't you?" She said with a pointed look and an arched eyebrow. Oh shit, I was in trouble and I had no idea why.

Sitting back down in my leather chair, I looked in the first container and found crayfish and rocket on wholemeal bread rolls. I started to salivate at the thought, but quickly realised that the lovely, sweet woman on the other side of my desk clearly wanted something from me and she was using food to get it.

The smell of the sandwiches was winning and she knew she had me exactly where she wanted me.

"Please tell me they have your lemon and black pepper mayonnaise on them too Esme," I begged

"Of course they do dear, and for desert there's a batch of homemade brownies, but you only get them if you tell me who Bella is and why you haven't mentioned her to me or Carlisle yet?" She answered simply while smoothing her napkin over her lap before helping herself to a sandwich.

Oh Christ on a cracker, she'd gone straight for the jugular before I'd even managed to swallow the first mouthful of yummy seafood goodness in my sandwich. Trying not to choke on the bite I'd just taken, I tried valiantly to chew it quickly and swallow before answering Esme. All the while she was sitting on the opposite side of the desk delicately chewing away and giving me the biggest hairy eyeball I've ever seen her give any one of her children.

Taking a breath, I decide it's probably best to be honest with her, but if I was being taken down by Emmett, I was sure as hell going to deflect a little bit to save my own ass.

"Umm, she's someone I met a couple of weeks ago. I helped her out of a spot of trouble at Emm's bar the last time I worked for him." I explained carefully.

"And?"

The hairy eyeball was still in full effect and this was likely to get ugly very quickly unless I gave her more info.

"She's funny, beautiful and I enjoy spending time with her. We've been on a couple of dates since then and things appear to be going well." I blurt out while bringing my hands up to my hair in frustration. Emm had clearly sold me down the river because he knew I wasn't going to spill the beans to him about what was going on between me and Bella.

"Oh Edward, don't be like that. She's obviously gotten under your skin if you're not telling that big oaf anything. If it's any consolation, Emmett threw both you and Jasper under a bus because Carlisle caught him wolfing down half a Devil's Food Cake at the house on Tuesday when he got home from work. It was thirty minutes before I was due to serve dinner and the cake was for desert, so he was trying to take the heat off." She chuckled at the thought.

"Sounds about right, the big guy has always been ruled by his stomach, we're all just collateral damage to be used to save his neck when needed," I laughed out.

"Seriously though Edward, I can see a change in you already. There's a lightness to you that hasn't been there for a very long time. In fact I'd go as far as to say since that awful girl during university. You can't imagine how relieved I was when she showed her true colors and you were finally shot of her, but the less said about her the better. I suspect your Bella has everything to do with this lightness and long may it continue if she's got Emmett's seal of approval." She cajoled with a soft smile.

I knew what she meant, so I tried to explain to her everything that had been buzzing around my head over the last few days. "Bella, well, she's like nobody I've ever met before. She makes every other relationship or conquest pale into insignificance. It's like I can't see other women because she is everything I need. I've only known her for two weeks and that scares the crap out of me."

"Edward, you mustn't over think this, it's okay to feel this way about a woman. I know what happened in college left you unable to trust the motives of the opposite sex, but you've worked hard for your success and there's even more coming your way in the next few months. It's not wrong to want to have someone to share that with." She assured me.

I thought back to the last time I'd let a woman get under my skin. I'd felt so foolish when I'd discovered her duplicity, and the fear of ever feeling like that again was what pushed me to be so detached from the women I slept with after that. Eventually I voiced my biggest fear to Esme.

"What if she hurts me the way Tori did?" I asked my voice barely above a whisper.

"Pshh, a little bit of fear is healthy darling. Don't hold her at arm's length because some classless bimbo decided to not treasure your heart when you gave it to her. Please don't let yourself be lonely because of what that cold hearted bitch did to you Edward." She implored.

I knew what Esme was saying was the truth, and sat in quiet contemplation while I finished my sandwiches. Bella and I hadn't really defined what we were to each other because things were so new, but I wanted her to be mine and mine alone. I had this deep seated need to protect her from things and wanted to share everything about myself with her.

As though Esme could sense that I'd had an epiphany, she started to gather the picnic debris and put it back into the basket. She left me the box of brownies and made me promise to share them with Garrett and we parted with her giving me a kiss on the cheek and the fiercest of hugs as she whispered in my ear to 'stop letting the past rule my heart".

Later that afternoon I'd called Bella to suggest another date, she'd readily agreed and proposed that I join her for dinner at her apartment on Saturday evening. This worked well seeing as I ended up getting roped in to help out Emm at Eclipse again on Friday night. Bella was having a girl's night in with Angela her friend who worked at Hunter, they were celebrating Angela being offered Bella's old role.

Before I headed off to the bar I fired off a quick text to Bella confirming our plans for Saturday. I didn't expect an instant response seeing as she was with her friend.

_**Hey there, just checking we're still on for tomorrow night? Emm roped me in to help out at Eclipse tonight - the place isn't the same without you! E xx**_

It was nearly midnight when I finally got a proper break and was able to check my phone to see if she'd replied. There waiting for me was a message from Bella.

_**Of course we're still on. You like pasta right? Hope your shift hasn't been too busy or as dramatic as the one where we met! B xx**_

Silly, sweet girl. I'd take any amount of drama if it meant that I had the opportunity to know Bella. I smiled at her message and quickly hit reply before heading back to the bar for last call.

_**It's been pretty quiet BBG, and while the night we met was somewhat lively, I'd take any amount of drama as long as it led me to you. I love pasta and I'll see you at 7pm sharp! E xxx **_

It was nearly two in the morning when I finally crawled into my bed. Emmett had asked me to cash out the bar while him and Rose did a stock check. Stock check my ass, they were having a quickie in the store room as if the rest of the bar staff didn't know. At least it gave me ammunition the next time he tried to sell me out to Esme at least.

I quickly drifted off with thoughts of seeing my BBG later that day and I was thankful that I would be able to sleep late. The last thing I wanted was to fall asleep on her. Nope, that would not do at all. I wanted to be very awake for spending an evening with the wonderful Miss Swan; I had things I needed to tell her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN So there you go. Esme has made an appearance – largely because I found it easier to give her a voice than Carlisle. Looks like Edward is pretty insecure when it comes to relationships – who would have thought eh? They've both got things they need to get out in the open and hopefully that will happen in the next chapter and I think they'll be on the same page by then.**

**Thank you so much for reading and as always your feedback and thoughts mean so much so please, please, please…read, review and recommend!**

**Till next time peeps!**

**Lou xx**


	8. Chapter 8

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do have an unhealthy addiction to the smell of vanilla and anything resembling baked goods!**

**Firstly, please accept my huge apologies for taking longer than usual to finish this chapter. It's been the Easter holidays here in the UK so it's been a full time job to keep my eldest one occupied. **

**Big hugs and kisses to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. There were some lovely comments from you and I appreciated every single one of them.**

**My thanks yet again go to ****momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me. In the time it's taken me to finish this chapter and be happy with it, she's managed to update both of her stories (twice I think!).**

**This chapter gets a little bit fruity. I thought I'd ease myself in to this whole lemon writing malarkey, cos we all know that's where this story is heading eventually…right? So anyway, they're a lot harder to write than they are to read, and it took me some time to get my groove on (assuming you guys think what I've written has sufficient citrus for the tone of the chapter of course!).**

**Also the tense switch halfway through is deliberate, it just felt better switching to present tense when Edward arrives for his date with Bella. There's a marker in the text to show where the switch happens.**

**OK, that's the end of my missive…so read on and enjoy!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 8:<strong>

_If you're ready, I'm willing and able  
><em>_Help me lay my cards out on the table  
><em>_You're mine and I'm yours for the taking  
><em>_Right now the rules we made are meant for breaking _

_What you get ain't always what you see  
><em>_But satisfaction's guaranteed  
><em>_They say what you give is always what you need  
><em>_So if you want me to lay my hands on you_

_**Lay Your Hands On Me by Bon Jovi**_

**EPOV:**

It was mid-afternoon when I finally woke from what could possibly be the deepest sleep I'd had in the last couple of years. Actually that was an understatement if I'm being completely honest. My sleep had been peppered with the most delicious dreams of Bella and our kisses that had been all consuming. Flashes of lips grazing each other, touching and teasing had danced behind my eyelids and it was obvious that my subconscious was giving me some insight into how I hoped things might progress tonight.

Unfortunately the down side to my dreams was the raging case of morning wood that I was blessed with as I lounged about in between the sheets trying to galvanize myself into some kind of action that would get my day started. My head was saying coffee, but my little brain was screaming, "Do something with me!"

Slipping my right hand beneath the covers and into my cotton boxers, I firmly grasped the base of my shaft and started stroking up and down, groaning at the contact. My eyes roll back in my head and images of Bella's molten chocolate eyes and perfect pink pouty lips hit me like a freight train as I pick up pace. God if this is how I feel when I'm just imagining her being near my cock, what the hell am I going to be like when she gets her hands…or mouth on the goods! My ministrations continued in a steady rhythm, gently twisting my grip as I neared the head before swiping my thumb over the slit to spread some much needed lubrication over my needy member.

Oh God it felt good.

I continued to pump my fist up and down, increasing the pressure with a gentle squeeze every so often as more and more images flashed through my mind of Bella engulfing my engorged dick with her warm inviting mouth. As I pumped more firmly with each stroke, I realised that I wasn't just feeling the usual burn as my climax built, I needed a little bit of help on the lubrication front too. I rolled onto my side and reached for the drawer on my nightstand for the little bottle that I kept to hand, you know…just in case. That was about the time that my big brain kicked in and started screaming at me "what the fuck are you doing, you've only shared a few kisses with this woman and now you're objectifying her and have her on her knees in front of you like one of the porn stars that you have stashed in your spank bank!"

Talk about a metaphorical slap in the face. Normally I'd need to picture something like Emmett in lingerie to get rid of Mr Happy, but not this time. I felt like such a sick fucker for using images of Bella to get myself off that I hauled myself out of bed and marched straight into my bathroom, stripped out of my underwear and stepped into the shower. If my dick hadn't gone soft already then it soon would. Quickly I turned on the spray and set it to the coldest setting, allowing the icy water beat down on my shoulders and back as some kind of self-flagellation for thinking of my Beautiful Bar Girl in that way so soon.

Problem solved like you wouldn't believe, and if I'm honest, I wouldn't recommend it, cause shit that kind of shower is painful. After switching the temperature to a slightly warmer setting and getting myself cleaned up, I shut the spray off grabbing a towel from the rail and wrapped it round my waist before reaching for a second one to start drying my hair with.

I wandered back out into my room to check what the time was and saw that it was nearly half past two. If I was going to get to Bella's on time and run a couple of errands before then I needed to get a move on. Bella had said she was cooking and that she had a pint of ice cream in the freezer for desert while we watched a movie, but I thought I would see if I could grab something from the bakery down the block from her apartment to go with it. I also wanted to get Bella something as a 'Congratulations' gift for her new role which she was starting on Monday.

As I towelled my hair dry, I thought back to yesterday morning which had been productive on a number of levels, including my conversation with Alice about what to get Bella.

_I'd just finished meeting with Emily to discuss a development in her case. Jane had found an ex-employee who had resigned because she'd had the same problem with Emily's manager and unlike the brick wall we'd come up against with other people who appeared to have been given a pay-off to go quietly, she'd not even bothered to make a complaint because she had been headhunted out of the company. Thankfully she'd kept print outs of some inappropriate emails that certainly worked in our favour, plus she had backed them up onto a PST file which she'd saved to a flash drive which meant it would be pretty damn hard for the opposition to discredit . _

_Wandering back into my office with a steaming mug of coffee and a donut from the break room, I had a shit eating grin on my face because we'd turned the corner with Emily's case. My cell phone started ringing form the depths of my suit jacket pocket but by the time I'd put my coffee down on the desk and then rummaged around in my jacket to find the damned phone, I'd missed a call from Alice. _

_I figured I'd catch up on a few emails and get the updates on Emily's case sent down to the junior associate who was assisting me on the case when Siobhan buzzed me on my office phone._

"_Edward, I've got Alice on line one for you, are you okay to take the call?" she enquired._

"_Yeah, I can take it. I just missed a call on my cell from her so it saves me having to call her back." I chuckled._

"_You've got the lunch meeting with Yorkie Technologies in an hour, so you'll need to be out of the door in thirty minutes tops if you want to make it to the restaurant Edward. " Siobhan reminded me, and thank goodness she did because I'd been so wrapped up in the new stuff with Emily's case that I'd forgotten what else was in my diary._

"_Alright Mom!" I joked before asking, "If I'm not off the phone in fifteen minutes can you buzz me again to remind me to wrap things up?"_

_Siobhan groaned down the phone, "Yeah, yeah! I'm sure Esme doesn't have to coddle you this much. __Good thing I love you like a son!"_

_I just laughed at her, she was awesome in her new role and she knew it, but then again so did I and I loved her for it. Hanging up on Siobhan, I picked up line one to talk to my sister._

"_Hey Ali, what's up?" I asked her cheerily._

"_Don't you 'Hey Ali' me Edward! Why didn't you tell me __that Jasper had feelings for me?" she screeched down the phone. I could almost picture the steam coming out of her ears and her hopping up and down like an angry little pixie._

"_Calm down Ali, before you give yourself high blood pressure!" _

"_Calm down Edward, calm down! He's my brother! Carlisle and Esme are going to have an absolute fit. What am I going to do?" she pleaded with me. Oh shit, that wasn't good. I'd thought she'd have been more open to Jasper's declaration. I needed to get her to chill out and at least consider this or the poor guy was going to be heartbroken._

"_Alice; listen to me, relax! Jasper's been in love with you for years, and you've been in love with him for about the same amount of time. The problem is that neither of you have been willing to admit it. Carlisle and Esme will not have a problem if you and Jazz want to see each other. Jazz would be devastated if you turned him down too, so please just give him a chance." I implored, hoping to ease her fears._

_There was silence at the other end of the line followed by Alice's trade mark tinkling laughter._

"_Oh Eddie, you really are an easy target sometimes. Of course I'm going to give him a chance. I just wanted the chance to wind you up seeing as I was the last to know how Jasper felt. You know I hate being the last to know anything." She said pointedly, which meant that she knew about Bella too._

"_Nice Mary Alice, real nice. I'm pleased you called me actually, I was going to call you later for some advice on a gift I want to get for a friend." I told her, hoping that she wouldn't rag on me too much for not having called her. In my defence, she had been away for part of last week on a buying trip for her lingerie store._

"_A friend you say? " She mused. "This wouldn't be a petite, curvy brunette who you rescued from a big nasty brute at Eclipse by any chance would it?"_

"_Might be." I was being evasive just to get her back for the stunt she pulled a minute ago. However I wasn't stupid, I needed her help with a gift for Bella and she was the only person who I trusted to help me not buy the wrong thing._

"_She must be really special if you're asking me for help. I don't think you've ever asked me to help you with a gift for a woman…in fact, have you ever bought a gift for a woman other than me, Esme or Rose? When can I meet her?" _

_I swear my sister rarely pauses for breath when she starts off on one of her rants. When she finally paused, I managed to explain to her that I wanted a gift to congratulate Bella on her promotion. It needed to be something that she could keep and use for work because we weren't anywhere near the stage of me buying her__ jewelry__ or lingerie. Trust me, when it came the latter one, there was no way in hell I was going to my sister for that even if her store did stock the kind of items I could see myself buying Bella. I think I could manage that on my own without her 'help' thank you very much!_

_A few minutes later I had given Alice the edited highlights of things with me and Bella, and that I wanted to get her something that would constitute a 'Congratulations On Your Promotion' type of gift that she could use for work._

"_Oh my gosh Edward, I know exactly the thing for her!" she squealed, and I think that a window might have shattered somewhere close by. _

"_While I was in New York I saw the most amazing Louis Vuitton bag that would be perfect for the office and big enough for her to get manuscripts in!" _

_And there she went again at a million miles an hour. This wasn't going to work_

"_Ali, slow down. This is important and I want to get this right. Bella's not one for flashy gestures so you can ditch those ideas straight away." I pleaded. What I was after was something that Bella might have bought if she'd decided to treat herself. "I'm thinking something that would cost five hundred tops and no ridiculously flashy designer item either. It's just not Bella." _

_She let out a dramatic __sigh through the phone__, clearly exasperated at me curbing her plans for a major splurge at my expense. I wasn't being tight with my cash. If I honestly thought Bella would like something like that then I'd quite happily drop a few grand on a handbag for her, but I had a feeling that something more understated and less ostentatious was the answer._

"_Alice, what I want is something classy and elegant, nothing too fussy. That's just not Bella. I just need you to point me in the right direction on what brand I should be looking at and then I'll make the final decision on which bag I go for, okay?"_

"_Well you're not giving me much to work with, but we might be able to pull this off for you Edward." My sister mused before finally putting me out of my misery. "I know a personal shopper at Neiman's in Bellevue, let me give her a call and tell her to expect you in tomorrow. I'll text you with a couple of brands that might fit the bill."_

"_Oh Alice, have I told you lately that you're my favourite sister!" I replied smoothly. It didn't hurt to butter her up a bit._

"_Eddie, I'm you're only sister, but because we both know I'm so fabulous…I'm willing to let that one slide__,__" she quipped before bidding me goodbye and hanging up._

_Less than 2 minutes later I had a list of three designers for consideration and the name of Alice's personal shopper friend. After a quick scan of the Neiman Marcus website, I knew exactly what I was going to get Bella._

Breaking out of my thoughts to get dressed, I walked to my closet, grabbed a pair of black jeans that were kind of skinny in the leg and a black tight t-shirt similar to the one I'd worn the night I first met Bella. I pulled a dark green button down shirt off the rail to go with it and walked back out to my dresser and picked boxer shorts and socks from the drawers. Once I was done, I checked myself in the mirror and ran my hands through my hair once more but realised that there was just no hope of getting it under any control. I splashed some cologne on before grabbing my wallet, keys and phone and heading out of the door.

**~~~~ o ~~~~**

By the time I find Bella's apartment block in Queen Anne several hours later, and get parked it's a quarter to seven, so I figure better to be a little early and make a good impression. I gather all of my purchases together from the trunk and realise that perhaps I might have gone a touch overboard. Suddenly I feel nervous, not about seeing Bella, but about how she will react to the number of gifts I've actually bought for her.

I guess you could say that I've splurged a bit, but once I'd started shopping I found it hard to stop myself. I know Bella isn't one for frivolous gestures and honestly, what I bought would not be considered anywhere near excessive in comparison to the limit on my Black Amex, but now I'm concerned that she might think I am trying to buy her affections.

As I stroll up to the entrance of Bella's apartment the anxiety continues to build and my mouth starts to feel dry as I pray that she will be alright with the goodies I have in the gift bags. It's been so long since I've done anything like this, and Alice was right, the only women I've bought for in nearly ten years have been the ones in my family.

Pressing the buzzer for Bella's apartment, I hear the familiar crackle of her entry phone picking up and then Bella's soothing voice.

"Hello?"

"It's me." I manage to croak out before being caught by a coughing fit. Shit, these nerves need to be under control before I see her.

"Come on up Edward, I'm on the fourth floor," she chuckles lightly before granting me entry.

By the time I'd make it up to Bella's floor I have started to calm down and when I reach her apartment and see she is standing in the doorway waiting for me, my anxiousness dissolves. Leaning lazily against the doorframe with a radiant smile gracing her beautiful face, her long chestnut hair is hanging down in soft waves forming a silky curtain to one side, resting on her left shoulder. She is dressed casually in a pair of wonderfully tight skinny blue jeans and a long sleeve light brown top which had little ruffles around the neckline and cuffs.

The whole outfit hugs her body beautifully and I feel my jeans getting tighter at the thought of getting my hands on her soft curves, not to mention my mouth. I'm suddenly pleased that I'd left my t-shirt and button down un-tucked because they are thankfully hiding the raging hard on that I am now sporting.

It gets me thinking, what I wouldn't give to run my tongue across her delicate collar bone, or trail kisses across her dainty little wrists before working my way across her delicious body and…ungh.

As my eyes trail down, taking in the sight before me, I stop short when I noticed that Bella's outfit had been completed by the most adorable pair of furry slipper boots that look like Rose and Alice's Uggs on steroids!

I'm snapped out of my Bella induced fog by my beautiful girl clearing her throat and giving me an amused smirk. Remembering the bunch of mixed freesia that I'd picked up for her, I thrust them towards her grinning like a fool.

"Oh Edward, they're beautiful. You shouldn't have!" she exclaims, bringing them up to inhale their fragrance, her eyes crinkling with the happiness that spread across her beautiful face. That was the exact reason why I wanted to do this sort of thing for her. I never want to see her face do anything other than smile…well, perhaps maybe I'd like to see her 'O' face, but I never ever want to see her sad.

She turns on her fluffy heels beckoning me to follow her and heads into her apartment. I dutifully follow behind just enjoying the magnificent view of her denim clad ass and shapely thighs as they sway rhythmically while she walks.

I may drool a little onto the wood flooring with the amount of lust that is coursing through my body. The effect Bella has on me whenever I get within a few feet of her is more than a little conflicting for me, one minute I want to hold her in my arms and never let her go, and in the next breath I want to rip her clothes off and ravish her senseless. However that means that my inner letch also comes to the surface; I just hope she's prepared for my perverted ways.

Walking into the open plan living area to join my beautiful girl, she has already located a vase for the flowers and is busy arranging them. I gently place my bags on the floor and advance round the kitchen counter so I can find somewhere to put dessert.

"Where do you want me to put this?" I ask softly.

Bella leans back against the counter smiling warmly at me, "Just pop it on the counter for now. What did you get, it smells delicious."

"It's a fruit crostada, according to the woman in the bakery. That's a pie without a lid to you and me." I chuckle.

Pushing herself off the counter, Bella steps forward a little to take a peek as I lift the lid on the box. She licks her lips as she inhales the amazing sugary, fruity aroma, "Yummy. That can go in the oven when dinner is served, which will be in about fifteen minutes."

It's when she bites her bottom lip that my resistance is obliterated. I close the gap between us in a matter of seconds and pin her against the glossy white cabinets. My arms form a muscular cage that hold her prisoner while I run my nose up and down the column of her neck, inhaling the scent which is so definitively Bella. Freesia, honeysuckle and a wonderfully clean soapy smell flood my nostrils.

"While dinner smells wonderful and desert is indeed going to be delicious, you my darling girl taste divine." I groan whilst trailing hot little kisses across any exposed flesh I can find.

A gentle moan escapes Bella's lips as I continue my assault on her neck, while her hands find purchase in my hair. The gentle pulling sensation as she grips me tightly, pulling me closer to her skin increases my urge to rip her clothes off and ravish her right there on the kitchen floor. Moving my hands to the small of Bella's back, I pull her tightly to me, wrapping my left arm around her waist and splaying my right hand across the small of her back so there isn't an inch of space between us.

My lips work their way up her throat toward her perfect, soft, luscious mouth which is just crying out for me to devour it. Tiny nibbles, gentle licks, feather-light pecks across the fine porcelain skin of her cheek as I work towards my goal.

A small sigh escapes Bella's mouth and her expression curves upwards in a perfect smile as her long eyelashes flutter closed with pleasure.

Needing her even closer, my fingers inch down towards the curve of her buttocks, giving them a firm squeeze, this elicits another wonderful moan from Bella. I flex my fingers again to squeeze the wonderfully ample flesh of Bella's curves before slowly bending my knees and bringing my hands down to her thighs and lifting her up off the ground.

Wrapping her legs around my waist tightly and eagerly seeking out my lips, Bella's hands continue to massage my scalp at a torturous pace.

Stepping forward so that her ass is resting on the countertop, my hands find a new home on her ribcage just underneath her breasts. It's at this point that I become painfully aware of my throbbing cock that was now trapped between me, a couple of layers of clothing and some very thick granite…how appropriate!

Bella's lips press to mine with growing fervor, pulling on my top lip before sweeping her tongue across my lower one demanding access to my mouth.

My little kitten can be feisty and I like it.

I part my lips, giving permission for her to take what she wants. Her tongue pushing forwards, dancing around mine, as our lips mesh firmly together.

Pants and sighs fill the air each time we came up for breath, which are soon replaced with the sounds of our kisses and moans as we return to more pressing matters. I couldn't tell you how long we remain like this, but I could tell you that I would be very happy to stay right where I am all night, but sadly it isn't to be.

Our lusty touches are rudely interrupted by the ping of the oven.

"I guess dinner is ready." Bella sighs, as she rests her forehead gently against mine.

**BPOV**

Stupid damned lasagne! Why the hell did I insist on cooking, a salad would have been a much more practical meal so we could have continued our little make out session on the kitchen counter-top?

To say I was beyond frustrated was an understatement. The ache between my thighs was sweet torture and my panties were probably ruined because of how turned on Edward made me feel, and how glorious he felt as he surrounded me. It was like he had infiltrated all of my senses, and made me forget my own name. To say that this evening was not going the way I expected was an understatement.

I'd been in such a panic when Edward had buzzed to announce his arrival. I had spent the whole day building up to his arrival, my apartment had been blitzed and there was not a speck of dust to be found anywhere, the lasagne had been prepped this morning so I could just pop it in the oven when needed, I'd baked a loaf of bread and also had time to make some brownies for Edward to take home with him as a treat.

All that stuff I could do with my eyes closed, but tonight was important to me on a number of levels. I wanted to push our relationship forward more, but I knew that I needed to tell him more about me and my past before we got really serious. I hadn't planned on attacking Edward in the kitchen, but there's just something about him being near me that makes me want to be impulsive, and more importantly just pounce on him and say 'to hell with it!'

Removing our food from the oven and placing it on the dining table, I walked back to the counter to put Edward's desert into the oven to warm through. It looked amazing and I was looking forward to tasting it later. I turned to grab the salad and bread to go with our meal and saw that Edward had already carried them over for me.

"Thank you Edward, you didn't have to do that." I admonished lightly.

He grinned back at me, "It's the least I could do seeing as you're saving me from a night of deliberating over which takeout to order!"

I giggled, I knew for a fact that he didn't live off junk food and could quite comfortably fend for himself, but I suspected he liked being looked after a little bit. We all do if we're honest, as long as the other person's intent is for the right reasons.

Edward pulled out my chair for me to sit down, which I graciously accepted. It was only once we were seated and the food had been dished up that I realised I hadn't even offered Edward a drink, and worse than that, I'd forgotten to buy any wine.

"Oh shit!" I exclaimed dropping my fork onto the plate.

Edward looked at me concerned.

"What's the matter beautiful?" he questioned.

"I'm a terrible hostess!" I exclaimed, palming my face in embarrassment.

He chuckled deeply, "I'd say you've been more than hospitable so far this evening sweetheart," before waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Oh god, there go my panties again.

"Wine!" I squeaked out, blushing furiously before explaining, "I forgot to pick any up."

Edward squeezed my hand before getting up from his seat and walking over to the bags that he'd brought with him. I hadn't noticed just how many he had in his hands when he arrived and now I was wondering what the hell he had in them seeing as all I asked him to bring was desert and a DVD.

"I happen to have something that might solve the problem. I bought it so we could properly celebrate you starting your new role officially on Monday, although I must confess I did forget to bring a movie with me, so I'm hoping that you have something in your own collection that we can agree on." He admitted looking somewhat bashful, a little pink tinge to his cheeks.

It was the same wine we drank at dinner earlier in the week, and I licked my lips in anticipation as Edward uncorked the bottle and poured me a glass. Our meal resumed and we chit-chatted about our week, before curiosity finally got the better of me. I had to ask him about his 'luggage' though, "Edward, what on earth have you got in those bags? It's an awful lot of packaging for a bottle of wine and desert."

"I kind of got you a couple of gifts, but we'll save those till after dinner," he mumbled quickly, his cheeks pinking at his explanation.

"Oh," was my lame ass response as Edward gave me an award winning crooked grin. I might have swooned a little at this, but we resumed eating and our idle chatter.

Once dinner was finished, Edward cleared the table for me so that I could load the dishwasher. After that was taken care of I set about serving the delicious smelling pie with the ice-cream I had stashed in the freezer, while Edward took our wine through to the lounge so he could get a DVD set up.

I wandered through to the lounge with the bowls of steaming fruit pastry and the carton of ice cream so Edward could add as much or as little as he wanted. Entering the room, I stopped short to find him on his hands and knees scrutinizing my movie collection in great detail. He'd removed his button down shirt which was now draped over the arm of the sofa, so I took the opportunity to perform a thorough appraisal of his glorious rear end and wonderfully defined back. His tight black t-shirt was riding up a little so I caught a glimpse of a tiny sliver of skin that had been revealed along with what appeared to be ink…the newest tattoo. I swallowed hard and scanned my eyes over the rest of his body; the art on his arms was more prominent than it had been when we met at Eclipse.

Oh God, I could just devour this man. The wonderfully wicked thoughts I've had about him in the last week were starting to flood my senses. Would he think less of me if I pounced on him right this minute and had my way with him right there on the living room floor? When we'd made out in the kitchen I'd been painfully aware of how turned on he'd been, the bulge in his pants had been proof of that, and boy did I want to find out what was hiding behind the denim barrier because it felt mighty impressive compared to past experiences, especially Paul.

A groan comes from the other side of the room followed by Edward's velvet tones muttering something about 'fucking perfect…can't believe it…oh good Lord!"

For a second I am concerned about what's got him so worked up, so I clear my throat announcing my presence to which Edward whips his head around to look at me with a huge smile on his face.

"What's got you so tickled Mr Cullen?" I ask playfully.

"I think you may well be the woman of my dreams!"

I blush profusely, "Well that's a very bold statement from a man I've only known a few weeks."

"A bold statement indeed, but a true one non-the-less Miss Swan, and would you care to know why?" He affirms while getting up from the floor with a couple of movies in his hands and stalking towards me with a playful look in his eyes. I manage to set the bowls down on the coffee table just as he reaches me, grinning even more furiously.

Smirking at his playfulness, I tease him further, licking my lips; "Enlighten me."

"Well you see Beautiful, you happen to have two of my all-time favourite films in your collection."

I decide to play along with him and have a little fun of my own while I'm at it. Putting on my best girly voice, I giggle coquettishly and squeal, "Oh my gosh! You love 'The Princess Bride' and 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' too!" before collapsing in a fit of laughter on the couch. While I do own both of those films, I can honestly, hand on heart say that they are not the most watched ones, although I am partial to a bit of Tiffany's on occasion.

Edward just stands there shaking his head at my silliness before producing the two from behind his back. "My dear Bella, while I'm sure those 'chick flicks' are wonderful viewing entertainment, I was actually talking about your copies of Batman Begins & Die Hard."

I can't help myself. I let out the biggest snort of laughter ever and pull Edward down to the sofa where we both collapse in stitches. I know it's stupid but I really feel like I can be myself with Edward and if that includes being a total goof then even better - he seems so comfortable in my apartment and it just feels right to me.

As our laughter dies down, Edward's beautiful emerald green eyes bore deeply into my gaze. It's almost as though he's searching for some kind of answer to a silent question that he's asking. Reaching out with his right hand, he brushes my hair out of my eyes and gently strokes the side of my face before placing a few feather-light pecks on my forehead, nose and then lastly my lips. Leaning back slightly, I smile at him lightly and place my own gentle kiss on the tip of his perfectly straight nose and whisper, "Whichever you pick will be fine Edward."

After a few seconds of deliberation, Edward sets up Batman Begins for us to watch and we both settle on the couch and devour our desert. It truly was bliss in a bowl, and judging by the appreciative groans from the man sitting next to me, I had a feeling he would be visiting that bakery again in the future. Once he is finished, Edward places his bowl on the coffee table and reaches down to the side, from where he produces the gift bags that he'd arrived with.

Placing them on the coffee table, Edward then reaches for the remote and presses pause before turning to me. He huffs a little and puffs out his cheeks before exhaling loudly. With a determined yet slightly nervous look that takes over his expression, he pushes the bags closer to me.

"Bella, I know you're not one for excessive gestures…and before you say anything, this is not an excessive gesture by any stretch of the imagination or by Cullen standards…well at least Alice & Esme's. Shit I'm rambling now!" He spews out.

It's such a sweet thing to witness, and I have a feeling that Edward is not used to being unsure of his words, nor is he usually nervous of what another person might say to him. He's normally so sure of himself and steadfast, but this side of him that I'm seeing only makes the ache in my chest that I have for him, increase exponentially.

I go to speak, but he puts his hand up to silence me before I get the chance to say anything. He then takes my hand and twines his elegant, long fingers around my own and looks deep into my eyes, almost boring through me with an intensity to match the conviction of his words.

"The last couple of weeks getting to know you have been wonderful. You are an amazing, beautiful woman Isabella Swan, and I said to you before that I wanted to see where this thing with us would go. I like the direction it's heading, and hope you do too. This is my gift to you, to say 'Well done' and 'I think you're going to be amazing' so please don't be too mad once you've opened them."

I gingerly reach for the first bag in front of me, and pull on the ribbon that's holding it closed. Once undone, I pull out the item that is wrapped in beautiful pale blue tissue. It feels soft and pliable so I start to remove the bits of sticky tape that are hiding its contents from me with care. When all four pieces are removed, I place the package down on the coffee table and tentatively open the edges to reveal the most beautiful black leather purse I've ever seen.

My eyes go wide as I take it in, running my fingers over the gorgeous bow detail on the side.

"I figured you could use something that you could fit manuscripts into." Edward explains bashfully, almost as though he thinks I'll not like it.

"Oh Edward, this is…is…I don't even know what to say."

Words seem to have failed me at this point in time.

"Shhh, don't say anything just yet, you've not opened the others yet. There's time for you to get mad at me yet." He murmurs.

I swallow and nod dumbly as Edward slides a smaller bag in front of me. This one has a rectangular shape wrapped in more tissue paper, and this time I'm not so careful about tearing into it. The package inside feels like a box; which means I can be a bit more enthusiastic about removing the packaging.

Inside this one are the most adorable 'thank you' notecards I have seen. Little pink blossoms scattered across the heavy card stock to look like a tree. Totally adorable and totally me. The third bag contains a beautiful pen and leather bound notebook which can be refilled. Once again, totally me as I hate the idea of throwing away a nice notebook when I've finished with it. This way, I can just buy cheap refills when needed.

I look up at Edward, my smile so fierce I think my face might start hurting.

"Oh Edward, this is perfect, it's all so wonderful. Of course I'm not upset with you! I could never be annoyed with you for buying me such thoughtful presents." I gush sincerely. Reaching my hand out to stroke his face, I lean in and kiss him chastely on the lips.

Edward pulls back and reaches down to the side of the coffee table again, "Umm, there's one more."

Handing me the white bag that's a bit smaller than the purse he got me, the parcel feels slightly heavier. It's only when I turn it around to face me that I spot the silver apple on the side of the bag.

"Edward, what did you do?" I exclaim a little louder than I had intended.

Edward cringes before blurting out, "I couldn't help it, I wanted to get you things that reflected you, and would be useful to you, but then I walked past the Apple store and I found myself wandering in. It's your fault anyway woman, you've worked some kind of voodoo shit on me and I can't help myself!"

Pulling the box out of the bag, it reveals that my final present is a brand new iPad along with a case and a twelve month data plan.

From my left, Edward's velvet voice has regained its composure and he reaches for my hand once more.

"It's the best spec available the data-plan is in your name but I've paid for it for the first year for you. I thought it might be helpful for reading manuscripts at home, rather than carrying flash drives around and risking losing them. We can set it up so that you need a passcode to access the device so that the data is kept safe." He explains.

How could I be mad at him when there was such thought behind each one of the things he'd given me?

I turn to Edward and grab his face, pulling it to me and peppering it with kiss after kiss in gratitude.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." I breathe out between pecks.

Eventually my mouth seeks his out with more vigor; each kiss becoming stronger than the last till our lips are meshing together and our tongues are battling for dominance. My hands seek out Edward's wonderfully soft hair to give me some leverage and without breaking the contact, I climb up onto my knees before straddle his legs so that I'm sitting in Edward's lap. Two strong hands firmly grasp at my hips, pulling me down and I wantonly grind away, eliciting a guttural moan from Edward's beautiful mouth.

Edward's lips break away from my mouth, his head dips and he softly presses his lips into the hollow of my throat as his hands slide up my ribcage. Those strong fingers flex deliciously against my sweater as the material starts to bunch up and Edward's kisses become hotter, sending my senses into overdrive with the pleasure that each little touch is bringing. My pants and moans are getting louder as the sensation he's creating shoots straight to my core. With each downward motion of my hips, I can feel his hardening length behind the denim barrier of Edward's jeans thrusting up to meet me.

I'm burning for him. I need more, I crave more. I'm two seconds away from telling him to fuck me here and now on the coffee table till I can't walk straight. Oh god, how I want that with him…so much, but there's a little voice at the back of my head telling me that I can't let this go any further tonight.

My hands are still tugging on Edward's hair as he continues to place little licks and kisses across my collar bone, softly moaning to himself. I take a deep breath and compose myself before gently pulling his head away from me, breaking the contact. Edward looks up at me through his thick long lashes, lustily gazing at me while trying to catch his own breath.

His mouth opens as though he's going to say something, so I bring my index finger up, pressing it to his lips allowing me to say what I need to. My mouth goes dry as I try to speak, the words somehow stuck, unable to come out. Clearing my throat, I finally find my voice.

"Edward, we need to talk…"

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><p><strong>AN: Oh goodness, I didn't just do that did I? Never in a million years did I think I would put a cliff hanger in at the end of a chapter, but it seemed like the best point to stop. So, Edward went a little bit mad on his shopping, but what do you think of the gifts he bought Bella? **

**If anyone is interested to see the items (apart from the iPad because we all know what one of those looks like!) then let me know. I'm thinking of setting up some kind of site like Polyvore or maybe a blog, because each chapter there are things that inspire certain details and it might be nice to share those with you.**

**As usual, hope you enjoyed reading, so leave me some love and recommend me if you like!**

**I'll try to get the next chapter to you in the next 2 weeks. **

**A/N **


	9. Chapter 9

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; but I do have a 6 month old who has started to crawl and a house that isn't baby-proof. Eeeeek!**

**Well, who would have thought I'd get another chapter out to you guys less than a week after posting the last one? This one was half written anyway as I knew that there was going to have to be a bit of a 'come to Jesus' moment for our pair for some of their past to be aired. This is only Bella's baggage we're covering, and I'll warn you now that it's heavy on the dialogue and could be too angsty for some of you.**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for once again providing beta services for me.**

**Since the last update, we've gained 14 new followers, and 13 readers have hit the 'Favourite' button. You guys are so great and so supportive, I couldn't do this without you.**

**Big shout out goes to JoeMomma1214 who left me a lovely review and pointed out that the story abbreviates to BRA – yes she giggled at that one and so did I. **

**I've also got a poll running on my profile – I want your input on what kind of blog I set up so I can show you the inspiration behind what I'm writing. Please take the time to vote and let me know which site you think I should go with.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 9:<strong>

_I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_Become so tired so much more aware_

_I'm becoming this all I want to do_

_Is be more like me and be less like you_

_Can't you see that you're smothering me?_

_Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control_

_Cause everything that you thought I would be_

_Has fallen apart right in front of you_

_**Numb by Linkin Park**_

**EPOV**

Of all the words she could have said, it had to be the ones that have the ability to strike fear into the heart and mind of any man. The only statement worse that that is the wonderfully cliché 'it's not you, it's me', and now I was sitting there on Bella's couch trying desperately to figure out what the hell we needed to talk about.

Thirty seconds ago there had been no need for words, our actions had been speaking volumes and it had been getting pretty noisy in a metaphorical sense. Now Bella had removed herself from my lap and had scooted back into the corner of the couch, her knees drawn up to her chin making her look tiny against the huge couch cushions. Nervously chewing on her bottom lip, she dragged the index finger of her right hand in some kind of pattern on the plush suede fabric of the seat. Her brow furrowed in concentration at whatever she was doodling with her digit. I can only surmise that whatever it is that is bothering her, it must be important.

"Bella sweetheart, tell me what's going on?"

I can faintly hear her muttering under her breath, picking out the occasional phrase such as, 'just tell him', 'always holding me back', 'just want normal' and 'he'll leave' and to be honest, this is just confusing the fuck out of me. I need to get her to open up, because it's definitely something that she needs to purge.

Uttering a gentle reassurance, I reach out to touch the hand that's scratching furiously into the couch, "Bella, I'm not going anywhere, I promise, just tell me. It can't be worse than the shit you've been going through with James, so I'm pretty sure that I can handle it."

Her head dips down allowing her hair to fall in a curtain which was shielding her face from me. Fuck this, I'm not having my girl be afraid to tell me something, or work herself into such a state over God knows what. Easing myself onto the floor so I'm kneeling down next to the couch, the hardwood floor is going to kill my knees, but right now I don't care, I need her to explain.

Wrapping my hands around her delicate fingers, I pull her towards me so that she has no option but to look me in the eyes. Those wonderful molten pools of beauty glisten with tears that threaten to overspill. Carefully Bella casts her gaze over me through thick long lashes as she fights to compose herself. Eventually she lets out a resigned sigh and her shoulders sag, almost in defeat before she opens her mouth to speak.

Bella's voice is shaky at first; almost a little unsure of how she's going to say whatever it is she has to say. "Edward, I'm sorry I just blurted that out. I don't want you to think I'm a terrible tease, because believe me, I was enjoying myself very much." There's a hint of blush to her cheeks as she starts to explain.

I nod for her to continue when she's ready.

"I think I need to tell you more about my family and my dating history for you to understand why I'm unsure of not only myself sometimes, but also what it is that we have going on. I know it's too early to put a definition or label against things between us so please don't feel that I'm getting too needy or anything like that." She whispers with a rueful smile.

Well that shit isn't going to fly with me, once she's done explaining things I think I will just have to set the darling Miss Swan straight on how I view what's going on between us, and just exactly what my intentions and feelings are about 'us'.

I decide to get some kind of opening gambit in before she tells me anything, just so she feels reassured, "Bella, I get the feeling that this is difficult, but I can assure you I'm not one for knee jerk reactions, nor am I one to judge, so please honey, just tell me so we can deal with whatever it is together ok?"

While she had told me on our date at the book store that she was an open book, I now understand that there are things she is not overly comfortable talking about. It's not a case of Bella withholding information, it's just difficult for her to discuss. It's a feeling I can totally empathise with, I have similar issues for one reason or another; losing my parents as a child made me wary of forming attachments to people.

Even today, there are only a few people outside of family that I fully trust and know the real me. Then there was the shit storm with Victoria which just compounded those feelings. She did the biggest fucking number on my heart when I was at Harvard in the worst possible way and I know I'm going to have to let Bella into my fucked up psyche at some point too.

A look of resolve and determination creeps across Bella's face, and I can quite honestly say that she looks magnificent when that confidence shines through, like she could take on the world and kick its ass. A true sight to behold, you can see her mentally rolling her sleeves up as though she's preparing to do battle even though the fight is only with her own inner monologue.

With one last sigh, she starts to open up completely to me. 

**BPOV**

Why does this have to be so hard? It shouldn't be so difficult to tell Edward about my childhood, my parents and the douchebag I dated last, but I'm petrified that by the time I'm finished he will have already hightailed it out of the door. I mean why would he want to deal with my personal brand of 'crazy'?

After much deliberation, during which time Edward has positioned himself kneeling on the floor looking up at me, his eyes begging me to tell him what's got me so wound up. Listening to his words of encouragement and assurance helps to calm my nerves, and eventually the courage to tell him was cemented in me.

Casting my eyes down at my feet, I let out a sigh and started my story, "I'm not really sure where to start, but I guess it helps if I give you some background I suppose."

Edward squeezes my hand gently and rubs his thumb over the backs of my knuckles in soothing circles as I continue.

"My childhood was not an unhappy one, but it was somewhat unsettled. I lived in a place called Forks which is about four hours away from here on the Olympic Peninsula. I had the typical upbringing of a small town girl, but then my parents divorced. Mom decided that being the wife of the Chief of Police and raising me wasn't enough for her, she was destined for bigger and better things, so one day while I was at school and Dad was at work, she just left us, leaving a note saying that she would rather kill herself than live out her days in our 'little Podunk town'. That was when I was six, and I didn't see her for nearly three years, no birthday cards, no Christmas presents, total radio silence."

Pausing to take a cleansing breath, I lean further into the couch, my arms wrapping around a cushion as I prepare to tell Edward about my Mother. Something I wasn't looking forward to doing given the strained nature of our relationship.

"At some point in those three years there had been some contact via a lawyer because they were divorced by the time I was approaching my ninth birthday. Then one day she turned up on the doorstep, I answered and she demanded to see Charlie."

Looking at Edward his beautiful face is twisted in confusion.

"Charlie?" he questions.

I snicker a little; I don't think Edward has heard me refer to my Dad by his given name.

"That's my Dad Edward, we've always been close but more often than not, I will call him by his first name or 'old man' just to annoy him, but if you meet him then he will expect you to call him Chief Swan."

Edward's eyes crinkle as his lips form a crooked smile, a soft chuckle escaping from his lips, "Good to know."

Now comes the bit that I've never told anyone. How in the space of one hour I went from being a blissfully happy little girl who lived with her Daddy, enjoyed reading books and going to the diner on Thursday nights for burgers and berry cobbler to having my perfect little existence turned upside down. It sounds dramatic I know, but to this day, I honestly wish Renee hadn't arrived back in our lives.

Sucking in a breath, I picked up where I left off. My jaw set firm as I started to recount what had transpired as a result of my Mother's impromptu visit.

"Renee stormed into the house that night and demanded that my Dad hand me over to her, that my place was with her and that the shifts he worked weren't healthy for me growing up. Dad argued that we were fine and that we had a good support network. I didn't quite understand what he meant at the time, but I can remember thinking that I quite liked Daddy working funny hours because I got to stay with Mrs Clearwater and play with her children. There was a lot of shouting from Charlie and screeching from Renee and eventually she stormed out of the house, yelling over her shoulder that she would be back the next day and this time she'd make him give me up."

Recalling that night was painful for me and what I'd overheard that night was something that I'd never told anyone, not even my Dad knew I'd heard everything. I can remember the stinging sound of the slap as Renee had raised her hand to Charlie in anger when he'd venomously told her that she would never take his little girl away from him, that being a parent wasn't something you could switch on and off like a table lamp. It was the only time I'd ever heard my Father raise his voice in anger in our home. It was also the last.

"She didn't come back the next day, or the day after that and a week later there was still no sign of her, so I thought I was just going to be staying with Charlie. Dad had been pretty quiet since Renee's visit, well more quiet than usual. Anyway, about two weeks after that night Renee was back, only this time she had her lawyer with her and I was given a few hours to pack my bags. Turns out she'd persuaded a judge that Charlie was neglecting me and she'd been granted full custody. To rub salt into the wound he'd also been ordered to pay her child support, which was an absolute joke."

I reach for my wine glass and take a sip, not caring that it's no longer nicely chilled; it was just helping to numb the rawness of my memories. The fruity liquid had a calming effect on me as it slipped down my throat. Taking a large gulp followed by another, and another things started to get nicely anesthetised.

By now Edward has climbed back onto the couch and has wrapped his arms tightly around my frame, his head resting lightly on top of mine with me tucked in under his chin. He's gently rubbing his hands up and down my arms, "Bella, you don't have to tell me this if you don't want to sweetheart," Edward breathes.

But I do, I have to tell him, because then he can see just how emotionally stunted I am despite outward appearances.

I press on with my tale, telling Edward how we moved about after leaving Forks. We spent six months in Detroit, another six months in Little Rock, and so it went on. Renee could never be happy with where we lived or what we had. She dated a whole slew of assholes who expected her to be the perfect trophy girlfriend, despite her eccentric ways, but she kept latching on to them in the hopes that one would be her meal ticket. She was rarely home in the evenings, and while she was never abusive or deliberately neglectful of me, she certainly didn't look after me to the same level that Charlie had. If anything I was the caretaker in the relationship, making sure that dinner got cooked, the rent cheque got mailed on time and during high school I was amazed that I was a straight A student.

Edward keeps squeezing my arms in encouragement. Occasionally he dips his head to brush his lips against my temple and it grounds me so much, it's such a shame that after tonight he's likely to walk away from me, but he needs to know. It would hurt so much more if I was to tell him further down the line and for him to decide that he doesn't want to deal with my shit, I couldn't bear to have my heart ripped out by him leaving if I become more invested in this.

So I end up giving him the full story of how we eventually moved to Jacksonville when I was fifteen and surprisingly we had been there for nearly a year when Renee met Phil. When they got married six months later she really hit the jackpot as far as she was concerned because he'd just signed a deal with a minor league baseball team there. I was overjoyed, because it meant we were actually going to put down roots for a while.

"I thought it would mean I could finally stay at the same high school till I graduated. Well, you know what thought did…as they say." I mutter drily

Edward just squeezed me harder.

"Mom was floating around in the bliss filled bubble for a while, like all newlyweds do, but then Phil started making the first team regularly which meant he was on the road more and Renee missed him. She'd be in such a shitty mood while he was gone and I was left feeling like it was all my fault even though it wasn't. Anyway, I came home from the library a few days before my seventeenth birthday to find a suitcase and three boxes in the hallway. Mom announced with a delighted smile that I was going to move back to Forks to finish high school with my dad. She told me that it was only fair that I got to spend more time with my father because he missed me!" I spit out bitterly.

Edward leans back to look at me, the thumb of his right hand still rubbing soothing circles across my cheek. His emerald green orbs are laced with concern, "Why do I get the feeling your Mom's motives weren't all that honorable?"

Another dry chuckle bursts from my lips. The lawyer in him can smell bullshit a mile off, and he's not even met Renee yet! Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. There's no way I would ever subject him to that.

"You're very intuitive Mr Cullen," I smile lightly, "Of course she just wanted to off-load me so that she was free to travel with Phil and not have me tying her to one particular place. She could fulfil her wanderlust, free from the chains of motherhood. After returning to Charlie to finish my Senior year, I discovered that the only reason my Mother had fought for custody of me was for the child support. She kept getting fired from jobs so needed money."

Edward's mouth is set in a frown, and his beautiful face is marred by the crinkle of his brow as he takes in what I've just said. You know that look that someone gets when they're trying to absorb everything you've just said and they have a million questions flying around in their head but you don't quite know where to start, or even if he should say anything?

A traitorous tear escaped from my eye and scorched a trail down my cheek. I reached up my thumb to wipe the damn thing away, but Edward beat me to it with his wonderfully nimble fingers brushing against my trembling jawline. There was a reason I didn't talk about this, it hurt too much.

Locking onto Edward's gaze as he tenderly swept away the evidence of my melt down with such a look of determination. 

**EPOV:**

Un-fucking-believable! Okay, so not every woman in this world is maternal, but how low must you stoop to drag your child away from their home, from the father who loves her and cares for her and force her to live like a nomad, all because you can't hold down a job and need the cash?

I don't even know this woman and I feel incensed by her indifference to what her daughter actually needed while she was growing up. There was a small bit of relief when I heard that she'd been very happy during her Senior year, once she got back home to her dad.

Wiping away the tears that are trickling down Bella's beautiful face, I want so desperately to sweep her up in my arms and tell her that it none of this matters, which it most certainly doesn't to me, but it's obviously important to her, and I have a feeling that there's more that she needs to purge.

I refill her wine glass halfway; it wouldn't help her to get drunk while she's this emotional.

"Bella, you don't have to do this you know. It makes no difference to me what happened in your past. I only care about here and now, us and what we could be in the future." I implore.

"Don't Edward, you haven't heard the rest. You need to know about how even though my mother didn't really want to be my Mom, she doesn't for one minute let me forget what a huge disappointment I am to her, how I should be more like her, and how my choices in life are what's holding me back!" She hisses bitterly.

Oh hell, that woman really has done a number on her. I want to reassure her that it's of no consequence to me, I'm utterly taken with the woman she is today. We all have skeletons, things that are kept hidden from view, I should know, and I have every intention of having my own confession session with Bella at some point, and it will need to be before the gala, but tonight is not the night.

I pull her into me tightly, whispering words of comfort into her hair, stroking the tears away as they continue to fall.

"Let it out little one." I soothe as she shakes in my arms, desperately trying to cling to her composure. She reaches for her glass and takes another big glug of her wine, and I decide it's time to cut her off. Gingerly removing the glass from her tight grip, I place it on the wooden coffee table while keeping my other arm wrapped firmly around her.

Strangely enough though, she didn't break down. A few deep breaths and she continued her voice a little shaky.

I learned that Bella hadn't heard anything from her mom through the whole of her last year of high school, bar a couple of hastily scrawled postcards from various locations where her husband was playing. Then out of the blue, her mother calls Charlie and announces she will be attending Bella's graduation. Apparently that was a major cluster fuck and a half; she breezed in that day and had somehow morphed into some sort of Stepford Wife complete with cashmere twinset and pearls.

I found the whole thing laughable till Bella explained how Renee had berated Charlie for not making more of an effort to dress up on their daughter's big day – according to Bella he looked fine in his plaid shirt and blazer…in her words, very handsome compared to his usual uniformed attire. She also found fault with everything, moaned nonstop about the fact Bella's graduation dinner was at the local lodge, and how she'd pitched a fit upon hearing that Bella would be attending University of Washington to study and had turned down a place at Dartmouth.

The more I heard, the more I could feel my blood boiling in my veins. I was angry that this woman knew no boundaries and still managed to make her beautiful grown up daughter believe she was inadequate. I wanted to give her a piece of my mind, make her feel as small and insignificant as she had clearly made her own child feel. I felt this overwhelming urge to protect this gorgeous creature in my arms that was opening her heart and soul to me, like no one had ever done before. I felt honoured that she trusted me with this piece of her, and I felt duty bound to safeguard her heart from any further pain. The more she told me, the more I knew I had fallen for her irrevocably.

On she pressed through the details of her life.

"During my Freshman year Phil was scouted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he was forced to retire a couple of years ago after a drunk driver ran a stop sign and t-boned his car. The upshot of his injuries was that he could no longer play ball, so the team took him on as assistant coach after he'd been through rehab. Thanks to an insurance pay-out, the lawsuit settlement and a generous salary from the team for his new role my mother is now a lady living a life of luxury, much to her delight. She does love Phil, I think…but her behaviour over the years makes me think she loves the money more."

Something is sounding familiar about the last piece of information Bella has just shared, I'm a baseball fan and Masen Platt owns a box at Safeco Field. Then it hits me, I know exactly why I know the story.

"Bella, is your step father Phil Dwyer?" I enquire tentatively. 

**BPOV:**

Oh crap, he knows who my step-father is! Don't get me wrong, Phil is actually a decent guy. He treats my mother well despite her demanding nature and outrageous opinions.

If I'm honest, I find it embarrassing and vulgar how my Mom behaves at times, and worse still she feels that I need to be living my life the same way. Edward has listened intently while I tell him about how every visit that I've made to them in the past few years has involved her trying to set me up with suitable men who earn what she feels have the right 'earning potential' and social standing.

Another reason why I can never let her be within ten feet of Edward, it would be unfair to him. Regardless of him being raised by a good family who are well regarded by Seattle society, she'd find something to pick holes in. She's like a child whose woollen jumper has a loose thread, no matter how much you tell them not to, they will pull at that thread till the jumper starts to unravel. I couldn't bear to watch that destruction take place.

And now we get to the bit that really raises my hackles, "She seems to think that I need to become like her, and has made it her mission to find me a man that she feels is suitable. That was how I found myself in my last relationship, although I didn't know it at the time."

Shuddering at the thought of Paul and everything that was wrong with our relationship, I tell him about the last time I dated someone.

I met Paul just before the start of my senior year at UDub. He was in the final year getting his doctorate in Physical Therapy, and we just got talking in the library one day. He asked for my number and asked if I'd like to go for coffee with him sometime, and I didn't see the harm in it.

Edward kissed the top of my head again, "So how long were you with him?"

"We dated for almost about nine months, things got serious between us after Christmas. He met my Dad and I guess the alarm bells should have started ringing when his parents came to Seattle for a visit in the January. Paul arrived to pick me up and told me that what I was wearing wasn't acceptable for meeting his mother. Like an idiot I changed into something more conservative because I wanted her to like me. From that point on it felt like he was trying to shape me into somebody I wasn't."

My laugh at that memory is humourless and it leaves a taste of revulsion in my mouth.

"That was the start of the downward spiral." I murmur into Edward's chest. I nestle myself further in to his embrace, hiding my face from his view. I'm so appalled by how wrong my relationship with Paul was, and why I didn't stand up to him sooner.

"It was just little things at first, criticism of other things I would wear, vetoing any place I suggested for our dates, telling me that my friends were unsuitable. He even told me that Angela was a bad influence on me…which is ridiculous seeing as she's the daughter of a Baptist Minister!" I smiled ruefully, to which Edward let out a light chuckle.

"What finally signalled the death knell for us though was when he started making plans for once we'd completed our courses. He informed me that he'd already secured a position in Arizona as an assistant sports phsyio for the team where he'd done his work placement during his degree, and that we'd be moving to Phoenix after our graduation."

Edward scrunched his face up in confusion, "I take it you weren't consulted in this _'little' _decision?"

I shook my head at his question, "No, but when I told him that there was no way I was setting foot in Phoenix because I had no desire to be in the same state as my mother never mind the same city. Plus I had wanted to stay in Seattle, I loved the diversity of the place and it was just close enough to Charlie, yet still far enough away for me to visit every so often."

I can feel Edward's chest vibrating as he fights to hold in the chuckle that's threatening to burst forth. It's infectious, and I find myself giggling along with him, perhaps it's the wine or the absurdity of what I'd said to Paul that night but it feels good to laugh about it.

It's time to bring this whole thing to a close, Edward has sat here and listened to me for at least a couple of hours because Bruce Willis has long since saved Nakatomi Tower and I want to be able to say Yippee Ki Yay to the ghost of Paul.

"We got into an almighty row that night, I made it very clear that he didn't get to decide things relating to my career for me. He scoffed at me and told me I wasn't going to need to be working when we got to Phoenix, he'd be earning enough to look after us."

Sounding like some scandalized over inflated bimbo from Jersey Shore, Edward leaned back a little and looked back at me, "Oh no he didn't!"

"Yep," I responded, popping the 'P' for extra emphasis. "The idiot actually thought that his plan made perfect sense and couldn't see why I might have a problem with it. When I told him I wanted to work for a publishing house here in Seattle he scoffed and told me that it was just a pipe dream, and no wife of his would be working, making it look like he couldn't provide."

Honestly, the guy had been totally jumping the gun, and I'd had my fill of his attitude by then. In my mind our relationship was already over, I'd never even said those three little words, but here he was planning the rest of my life for me. Errr, no thank you!

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Edward, my guess was he could sense what my reaction to that statement had been. Trust me, he didn't know exactly how I reacted to that one.

Shrugging my shoulders, "I might have punched Paul in the face after that comment."

"You didn't?" He gasped, a crooked smirk playing on his lips.

"I most certainly did, which then led to even more arguing and Paul muttering something about my mother being right."

This earns me another puzzled look from Edward, "Hang on, what did Renee have to do with it all?"

"I can understand your confusion, I was pretty bemused by the statement at the time, but demanded to know what he meant. It turned out that, Paul's dad worked security for Phil's team and Paul had done some work experience with the team. Mom had found out he was studying in Seattle and hatched a plan to 'bring me home'."

The worst thing that came out of all of this was that it left me very wary of trusting my own judgement of situations or of having faith in the decisions I made. It left me angry that yet again, my own mother had had such a profound negative effect on me.

I had never been so incensed by Renee's ridiculous behaviour than I was that night. She neither knew me, nor had the right to try to force my hand in that way. If there's one thing I inherited from my dear old Mom that I'm pleased about, it's her stubborn streak. To this day, it's served me well, especially when it came to things involving her.

"Renee offered to pay Paul's final years tuition if he made friends with me and gave me a reason to come home to her and Phil. She fed him some bullshit story about how Charlie's influence on me had led to me making some questionable decisions about the future, and she and Phil were worried about me. By having me closer to them they could be sure to steer me on the right path. "

What Renee hadn't counted on was Paul being a controlling little shit, she'd figured that a bit of charm and him sweeping me off my feet would be enough to make me fall hopelessly in love and follow him anywhere. She'd even put in a good word with the team Physio about hiring Paul as his assistant to seal the deal.

"I remember Paul sneering at me that my career dreams were just that, and that what I really needed was to go back to Phoenix with him and learn to behave like a lady!"

I left out the part where I'd punched Paul a second time, the last thing Edward needed was to think that I was psychotic.

"I told him to get out and never come back, we were through. I can still see the reaction on his face, he was incensed. I don't think a girl had ever dumped him, and here I was, meek little Bella Swan telling him to take a hike!" I snorted at the ridiculousness of it all.

Edward and I were now sitting face to face, our knees touching and his hands were gently clasped around mine. Those beautiful sparkling green eyes were watching me intently, as though he was looking out for any more signs of me having a meltdown. That wasn't likely to happen now, I felt lighter for having told him about the epic crazy that is my mother.

"Ever since Renee's bizarre controlling attitude started to show itself, I've always shied away from that type of influence. Sure, I'm not the world's most confident or beautiful woman, but I'm comfortable in my own skin and happy with where I'm heading. I don't understand why my Mother can't just let me get on with it."

"And that's why you aren't interested in Hunter? He's just an amplified version of Paul, or Renee for that matter."

This wonderful man sitting on my couch had hit the nail right on the head. It runs a lot deeper than a statement as simple as that, and I'm sure he knows it.

He squeezes my hand as I tell him about her disapproval of how I live my life. She frowns on the fact that I turned down a place at an Ivy League school to take a full ride scholarship at UDub and then stayed in Seattle to work for what she considers to be a second rate publishing house, even the apartment I live in, which Phil bought for me as an apology slash graduation gift when he discovered the stunt my Mom had pulled with Paul. The last time I visited her she laid into me about everything that was wrong with my personal and professional life. I was so pissed that I actually packed my bag and stormed out while dialling the airline to bump my ticket forward. I haven't spoken to her since.

I feel myself being pulled forward into Edward's embrace. He wraps his strong, well defined arms around my torso and squeezes me tightly, and I melt happily into him, smiling. I was wrong to assume that Edward would leave, there should never have been a question mark over how easily he would change his opinion of me or our relationship. For that I feel foolish, but also relieved that I've been proven wrong.

Edward's warm breath caresses my ear as his tight hold cements in me the feeling that I want to put a label on what we are, I need him to know that I'm already head over heels for him.

A yawn escapes from Edward's mouth, and I'm inclined to agree with him, I'm exhausted.

"It's late. Why don't you stay?" I whisper, surprised at my own boldness.

Edward nods a little and yawns once more. My poor boy is worn out.

"By the way BBG, don't think for one minute that I missed the part where you put yourself down. I'm not a controlling asshole, but there is one thing I won't tolerate in this relationship and that is your inability to see yourself clearly. I'll have you know that you are an exquisite specimen of the female form, and I am very much looking forward to confirming that knowledge with some very thorough examinations in the very near future."

My cheeks flame instantly at his statement. I don't know how he does it, but he has the ability to make the sweetest words have the dirtiest connotations, and they leave me blushing like a nun in a sex shop!

Fluttering my eye lashes, I respond coyly, "There'll be no inappropriate behaviour tonight Mr Cullen. Despite the opinion of my Mother, I do know how to behave like a lady."

He stands up from the couch, stretching out his long lean frame. His t-shirt rising up so I can see the sprinkling of hair that runs from his belly button down to the waistband of his jeans which are slung low on his hips. If I wasn't so emotionally wrung out right now, I would pounce. Then again, there's always tomorrow! 

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><p><strong>AN So there you go, quite a lot of angst and whole heap of messed up feelings for Bella after her mother's interference. What's your view on Renee, is she a heinous bitch, or is she just an interfering mother who just thinks she knows what's best despite her epic fails in parenting?**

**Some of you may feel that Bella was worrying over nothing, but the effect Renee's behaviour has had on her psyche is genuine. Trust me, I've been on the receiving end of a controlling parent and honestly, the damage it can do is not pretty.**

**As always, please review and recommend – it is continuously appreciated, and I try to respond to everyone who hits the 'favourite', 'follow' or 'review' button. **

**I'd love to see Bar Room Angel turning up on some community recommendations, but you can't always have everything. **

**Till next time folks, take care!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a copy of Bruno Mars' album which I can't stop listening to - except track 3 which I skip cos it's a bit dodgy!**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for once again being an amazing beta – love you hun! **

**Not a lot of love for Renee after the last chapter. I can see her making an appearance in the future, and your views have given me a few ideas for how that little moment might go down!**

**The last chapter had 22 new alerts added which was totally amazing. I'd love it if we could smash the 100 barrier on story alerts and make it to 80 reviews…..so go on, show me the love!**

**Anywho, after I finished this one it felt more like a bit of a filler, but Momma said that sometimes you need them to get to the good stuff, so I'm trusting her wisdom! Please bear with it – there's fluff, a little bit of angst, and maybe a little bit of a cliffie for you all!  
><strong>

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 10:<strong>

_But I see your true colors, shining through  
>I see your true colors, and that's why I love you<br>So don't be afraid, to let them show  
>Your true colors, true colors<br>Are beautiful, like a rainbow_

_**True Colours by Cyndi Lauper  
><strong>_

**BPOV:**

It had been over a week since the night I'd confessed to Edward about my childhood and the difficult nature of the relationship with my mother. To say I was blissed out would be an understatement of epic proportions.

I had been floating around in a tiny little bubble of delight, even though we'd not been able to spend much time together still. Edward's cases had been working him even harder, and one in particular had made some serious headway which he was keen to capitalize on. We'd snatched moments here and there, coffee on some days, a quick lunch or light dinner before Edward had to return to the office again, but nothing of major substance. As a result, we'd only managed to grab the odd kiss here and there, some gentle hugs, and a couple of sly ass grabs on Edward's part, but I craved more, and it left me feeling ridiculously horny.

Not seeing Edward much had meant that I was getting to grips with my new role nicely, and I loved every minute of it. There was one manuscript that I was reading that had really grabbed my interest, a new author who'd written a modern romance about a male vampire who falls in love with a human girl. Perfect for the teen market and full of angst and drama that even I was sucked into the plot and Kate had joked that I was regressing!

Thinking back to that night brought a wry smile to my face, the compassion and reassurance that Edward showed me as I poured out the whole sorry story left me feeling cleansed, and positive about how he felt about me.

_After leading Edward to my bedroom that night, I was a little apprehensive about his expectations. Asking him to stay was a bold move on my part, and while I was by no means a prude, I had never been in a relationship where I was given the option to call the shots. This was new territory for me and while I felt empowered, my shyness was the overriding factor when it came to the actual mechanics of us sharing my bed when the furthest we'd taken things was our groping session in my kitchen. It wasn't that I didn't want to take things to the next level with Edward, if I was honest, the very thought of getting naked with Edward sent zips of electricity shooting straight to my lady parts and my panties immediately got damp. Half of the time I swear the damn things were just going to melt off me when he looked my way. _

_That said; there's a whole bunch of insecurity that comes with getting undressed in front of a man for the first time. Paul had never been overly complimentary about my figure, and had often made comments that underpinned my existing anxieties regarding how my body looked. When I cast my gaze over Edward I just knew, even though he was still fully clothed, that underneath what he was wearing would be nothing short stunning. That, coupled with the fact that I normally slept in one of my retro t-shirts and a pair of black cotton boy shorts, hardly made for a sexy look in my mind._

_I shuffled around my room, not quite sure what to say or do, the earlier confidence having rapidly departed the moment the door clicked shut. Edward stood stock still, almost in contemplation at my actions. It was as though he sensed my unease, because the next thing I knew, two strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind and Edward's chin rested on my shoulder, his gentle warm breath fanning against my neck._

"_It's okay Bella, I may be itching to get you naked and horizontal…among many, many other positions, but tonight is just about me being here for you, do you understand?" Edward whispered against my skin with a light chuckle, before lifting his head a little to run his nose tenderly against the outer shell of my ear._

_His actions sent a shiver down my spine, as I felt my skin pucker with gooseflesh at the thought of all the delicious things he might have in mind. Sadly though, Edward was right, tonight was not the night for that and the moment where things might have gone further had been firmly parked back on my couch._

_Swallowing thickly, I turned my head and placed a tiny kiss on Edward's jaw before letting out a cleansing breath and walking over to my dresser to grab my __'pajamas__'. Opening the drawer, I grabbed the t-shirt on the top of the pile and chuckled to myself, then snagged a pair of my sleep shorts. Edward's reaction to my night attire would be interesting to say the least, and I wondered whether he had an inner geeky side to him._

"_Do you wanna use the bathroom first?" I asked tentatively._

_Edward had shrugged out of his button down and crossed his muscular arms over his torso, taking the hem of his t-shirt in his fingers before pulling it off in one fluid motion, "No, you go ahead, this is your home, so just do what you would normally do and I'll fit in with you."_

_Damn he managed to make even getting undressed look graceful! _

_To top things off, the view of his back was one of total and utter perfection. His newest tattoo, etched proudly across his back in black and shades of grey was what appeared to be that of a pair of angel's wings. Gothic looking ink stretched from one shoulder blade, right across to the other, while the tips of the wings trailed down almost right down his back, sitting about an inch above the waistband of his pants. Some might think of it as a feminine piece of art, but I don't think anyone else could have made it look any more masculine than Edward. His brother has some serious talent and I couldn't wait to meet him._

_The well-toned muscles in Edward's back flexed as he went about folding his shirts to place on the old blue and cream plaid oversized armchair that I'd picked up at a flea market when I moved into the apartment._

_My eyes fogged over as lust coursed through my veins so hard that I swear I could hear the blood pumping in my ears. Oh shit, I just wanted to nibble along those shoulder blades, maybe trail my tongue down his spine a little…just till I came into contact with that glorious little set of dimples above his ass that had been revealed by his low slung jeans…and maybe just take a big old bite out of what appeared to be an ass so firm you could bounce a quarter off it! _

_My inner vixen purred at the thought. At least I thought that was what happened. Turns out that perhaps I hadn't internalized that reaction as I believed, oh no sir…I'd actually done it out loud judging by the way Edward spun around and caught me gawping at him with my mouth wide open and my tongue hanging out._

_Arching an eyebrow at me and curling his mouth into a crooked smirk, Edward let out a low chuckle, "See something you like there BBG?" _

"_Um, okay then…I'll just….yeah…back in a few." I sputtered before dashing into the bathroom, flinging the door closed and clicking the lock into place before collapsing in a panicked heap on the floor. I'd been seriously close to attacking Edward and just begging him to have his way with me, now I was hyperventilating on the cool__ gray__ tiles like some crazed fan girl who'd just met Robert Pattinson at Comic Con!_

_I don't know how he has the power to make me lose any kind of cognitive thought, but I find it un-nerving at times. It's as though he dazzles me with some voodoo magic that renders me incapable of functioning like a normal__,__ level headed woman, and instead I'm left panting like some lust crazed, sex starved nymphomaniac._

_Who am I kidding, I am sex starved. There hasn't been anybody since Paul as I've not been able to trust someone enough to get that close. That's not to say that I was frustrated, not at all. I'm all for self-gratification and have a wonderfully varied drawer of toys in my nightstand for such purposes that have all been fully broken in, and receive regular test drives. No, this is more like Edward casting a spell on me with those glorious, blazing green eyes, holding me captive to a point where even the basic power of speech leaves me…quite simply I am dazzled by his very presence. As incapacitating as it may be, I love it so much, but wish that I didn't make a complete fool of myself in the process. _

_I had no idea how long I spent on the bathroom floor trying to calm myself down, but eventually I pulled myself up using the counter to steady myself and set about brushing my teeth vigorously in an attempt to ensure my breath didn't smell like stale wine. I flossed too, just to be on the safe side and then quickly took my make-up off with a cleansing wipe._

_Just as I was slipping into my night clothes there was a soft knock at the door._

"_Bella, are you ok in there?" _

"_I'm fine; I'll be out in a minute." I squeaked, before panic started to fill me once again. I'd not been this exposed to a man in so long that I felt like a virgin all over again…I was nervous of Edward's reaction to my dressed down state, whether I was going to be good enough for him._

_At that thought, my inner voice started mentally kicking my ass for being so down on myself, but after everything that's gone on in the past, it's harder to overcome some of the more heavily ingrained insecurities that I have than others._

_While telling him everything had given me the strength to close the door on a lot of what had happened, some of it still hung over me like a razor sharp guillotine that was just waiting for the blade to fall and this scared me like nothing I've ever felt before._

_Taking a final look in the mirror at myself, I inhaled then exhale a couple of cleansing breathes before having a final silent pep talk with myself._

_Bella, Bella, Bella. This is ridiculous and you know it. Edward is still here, he's not run after you spilled your guts out to him about the cluster-fuck that has been your family and personal life over the last decade or so. He wants to be here, and he wants you, now go out there, let him wrap his arms around you and just enjoy feeling safe for once._

_Nodding at my reflection, I reached for the door and carefully undid the lock allowing the door to slowly swing open before gathering my clothes and stepping back out into the room._

_Edward had switched the main light off and put the side lamps on instead so my room was cast in a more subdued glow. He had also turned down the covers and was sitting on the side furthest away from me with his back resting against the cream metal bedstead, head tipped back and eyes closed, patiently waiting for me to return._

_As I shut the light off, Edward eyes snapped open and he turned his head in my direction. His eyes raked up and down my body taking in my oddly put together__ pajamas__. My cheeks flamed with embarrassment not just because of the logo that was on the t-shirt, but that I didn't own anything more suitable given that I was about to share my bed with an Adonis. My own eyes cast an appreciative glance over his lean, toned chest which was peppered with a light scattering of hair, and down to his subtly defined abs and on to that delicious trail of hair that disappeared underneath the waistband of his black cotton boxer shorts. _

_I swallowed thickly, thinking once again just how lucky I was that this glorious example of a man had picked me, plain old Bella Swan, it just didn't make sense to me. _

"_Batman? Oh, I think I just died and went to teenage heaven!" Edward exclaimed, his tone full of glee while he gently patted my side of the bed in a welcoming gesture._

"_Come on Bella, let's get cosy. I need to get my geek on, plus there's some serious snuggling that I intend to be doing, and for that I need you." he grinned._

_Why the hell I even got myself wound up in the first place was beyond me. Edward always knows what to say to bring me back down off the ledge I seem to end up standing on when I freak out. With a silent nod of agreement and a slight smirk, knowing that even my choice of nightwear was appreciated, I placed my clothes on top of the laundry hamper and walked over to join him to indeed get cosy as he suggested._

_Falling asleep that night with Edward's arms wrapped protectively around me while he whispered words of comfort and encouragement about the person I am in my ear was quite possibly the most touching thing anyone has ever done for me. We may not have made any declarations to each other apart from us being committed to seeing our relationship progress, but in that moment, I've never felt more loved by someone of the opposite sex._

_As I drifted off to sleep, safe in his strong embrace, my thoughts wandered to how delicious it would feel to be pinned to my bed by his full weight, our bodies joined together in the ultimate act of passion. _

Drawing myself out of my memories, I checked the time on my computer. I had ten minutes before I was due in an Editor's meeting that would last for most of the day. It would be my first one, where I would be discussing the progress I'd been making with my manuscripts. The story about vampires had me totally sucked in – pun totally intended, and I'd got a meeting scheduled with the author for early next week to discuss some possibly tweaks and changes which I was seriously excited about.

Thinking back to Edward for another moment, I couldn't imagine that Edward would be a selfish lover, and I had a feeling that he would be open to helping me play out many of the fantasies I had, or things I wanted to try. Not like Paul who was all about his own pleasure and about as adventurous in bed as 'mac n cheese'. His idea of being risqué in our bedroom activities was doing it with the lights on. He was a strictly missionary kind of guy, and I never had any say in how things went. It was almost as though he viewed sex as a 'paint by numbers' exercise similar to that scene from Friends where Monica teaches Chandler how to please a woman and does the whole "a 4, a 3-2, 2, a 2-4-6, 2-4-6, 4, 2, 2, 4-7, 5-7, 6 ..."

Sadly it was more a case of 'take breast A and squeeze, pinch nipple B, insert part C into slot D and drill', there was no variation, and if I'm honest there was no real passion or tenderness never mind him managing to hit my '7'!. If I'm honest, Edward had made me feel more alive and wanted in the last six weeks than Paul managed in six months and I was angry for the time I'd wasted on that relationship.

However all this thought of Edward and activities of a horizontal or any other nature left me feeling beyond horny and desperately wanting to jump his bones. We had definite plans Friday night to go for drinks at Eclipse and if I had my way, we'd be naked and sweaty before the night was out.

**EPOV:**

Work was absolutely crazy now that we'd gotten the statement from our extra witness in Emily's case, and this meant that we finally had enough ammunition in our arsenal to formally serve her old employer with notice of our intent to sue for wrongful termination and sexual harassment in the workplace. Papers had been filed with the court, so I was smiling like a cocky bastard, because this game was officially on, and I played to win.

The big question left now was who would be defending them? I'd had a side bet going with Ben about this, we both knew they would probably have Denali retained for this kind of underhanded behaviour, after all where there's a stink, there's usually a great big pile of horse shit and they didn't get much shittier than Eleazar and his minions. As Ben had left Denali to join Masen Platt his gut feel was that it would be Felix Demitri, but I wasn't so sure. There had been very little on the grapevine about who Eleazar had hired to replace Ben, all we knew was that he was Harvard Alumni, which meant there was a chance that I would know him. A hunch told me that Eli would go with the element of surprise, especially if this new hire was something special in his eyes, and that had me feeling a certain amount of trepidation to say the very least.

Taking advantage of a brief moment of respite in my caseload, I had allowed myself to grab a sandwich from my favourite café and I'd snuck back into my office to eat it undisturbed. Bella was stuck in an all-day meeting so we couldn't meet for lunch. My workstation was locked, my phone was diverting straight to voicemail, the office door was shut and I was allowing myself to have fifteen minutes of uninterrupted peace and quiet.

It had been exactly nine days since I'd spent any decent amount of time with Bella. We'd both been bogged down with workload, and persistent diary clashes for both of us and late nights in the office on my part had not made it particularly conducive for me to take her out on a date, or even for us to curl up with a movie…although the last time we tried that we'd not been so successful. We'd managed to snatch the odd hurried lunch together and I'd managed to create a couple of gaps where I could at least take her for a rushed early dinner, but Bella had to meet me at my office to make that happen and I felt awful about it.

All I wanted to do was take her out, show her off to the world, boast that she was mine and spoil her to the ends of the earth. Unfortunately my chosen profession had me caught between a rock and a hard place, and Bella was getting the thin end of the wedge when it came to my time.

I'd had a moment of blind panic about three days ago when I'd had to call and cancel on her yet again. No amount of apologies would make it up to her in my mind, but when we spoke on the phone that evening, her soothing reassurances that she wasn't mad at me helped to quell my fear that she would soon lose patience with me and call time on us before we'd even had a chance to get started.

Call me lame, call me a pussy, call me whipped, I honestly didn't care. I was missing Bella, plain and simple.

As I lazily consumed my lunch, I thought back to the night I'd stayed over at Bella's apartment, which was our last bit of quality 'couple' time. When she'd led me to her bedroom, she seemed so sure of herself, confident in her actions, almost bold and proud of herself for asking me to spend the night with her.

_I knew she was nervous, and fighting every urge just to throw her down on the bed and seduce the shit out of her, I had offered whispered promises that all I wanted from that night was for her to let me support her. Of course, I'd let her know exactly where my thoughts were headed eventually…I'm a guy, and I would be lacking in my duty as a boyfriend if I didn't take the opportunity to let my girl know that I wanted her in every way imaginable._

_Bella's awkwardness returned tenfold as she grabbed her night clothes. In my efforts to take the edge off of her nerves, I started to get myself ready for bed, hoping that by just going about my own business she wouldn't__ overanalyze__ things. Me teasing her once I'd taken my shirts off might not have been the best idea I've had this year, but her reaction and the way she scampered off to the bathroom as fast as her little shapely legs would carry her made her all the more adorable in my eyes. _

_I figured it might be quicker if I were to use the main bathroom in the apartment for a quick freshen up, I bolted back to Bella's room once I was done, but she had still not returned so I quickly stripped out of my jeans and socks placing them neatly on top of my other clothes. That left me in just my black cotton boxers. Seeing as I normally sleep naked, I figured it best to keep something on my lower half and demonstrate a little bit of modesty. I started looking round the room, taking in all the things that made this space so quintessentially Bella. The slightly mismatched light wood furniture all seemed to just fit together. All of it worn in and slightly scuffed through years of use. My guess was that BBG liked flea markets and antique stores. _

_On top of her dresser was a single chunky silver photo frame displaying a photograph of a much younger looking Bella, my guess would be that she was in her late teens. She was standing behind a man with dark hair and a__ mustache__, that kind of gave him a sixties porn star vibe. He appeared to be in his late thirties, possibly early forties and Bella's arms were wrapped loosely around his neck and her lips were pressed firmly to his left cheek while she kept one eye cheekily trained on the camera. The man was smiling proudly which caused his eyes to crinkle till they were almost shut, but they mirrored that of the young girl in shape and__ color__. I knew then without shadow of a doubt that I had just met Charlie Swan for the first time. He had a friendly looking face, but there was just something there that told me if I ever hurt his little girl that he would undoubtedly fuck me up and make sure they'd never find the body._

_I shuddered a little at that thought. Not because I was scared of him, oh no, it was more the thought of ever doing anything to hurt the enchanting creature who was still in the bathroom. The very idea of causing her any kind of pain…except maybe of the pleasurable variety I thought to myself with a wry smile; was the most abhorrent notion I'd ever thought of._

_It also reminded me that I needed to ask her whether she'd finally told her father about the ass-wipe that's been hounding her. He may be able to help out with getting him to back off, although things have been mighty quiet on that front since James returned to work according to Bella. There's been nothing more than a few pointed stares from him._

_I moved over to the bed and sat down on the pale blue floral comforter, waiting for Bella. She'd been in there for close to fifteen minutes with no sign of her emerging. Mild panic started to rise at the thought that perhaps my little comment about her ogling me as I stripped my clothes off was a step to far. She'd made a pretty swift exit after I'd opened my mouth. Determined to make sure she was alright, I stood up and wandered over to the bathroom door. I paused to gauge whether she was moving around, but all I could hear was the faint sound of her muttering to herself_

_Knocking on the panelled door, I tentatively asked "Bella, are you okay in there?"_

_There was some shuffling from the other side followed by a slightly high pitched response from behind the divide, "I'm fine, I'll be out in a minute."_

_Smiling to myself at the knowledge that I would have beautiful Bella in my arms soon, I headed back to the bed and started to turn the covers down ready for us to go to sleep, and switched on the bedside lamp on the nightstand. Most men would be chomping at the bit to get a gorgeous girl like Bella out of her clothes and into as many positions as he could think of, but I was not most men. I may like sex as much as the next man, if not more, and I had plenty of things in mind for when that time came, but tonight was exactly what I said to Bella, it was about me just being there for her after such an emotionally draining evening._

_As I sat back against the cool cream metal headboard, I tilted my head back and closed my eyes while I waited for Bella to emerge and took a few cleansing breaths. The thought of finally getting to wrap my arms around Bella and hopefully make her feel shielded from all her worries was one that excited me. Not in a girly way, but I've always had that urge to protect people, right from being a child when my parents died…all I wanted to do was take away the hurt for Ali, make her stop crying. I once overheard the not so nice ladies from Esme's luncheon club grumbling and berating her and Carlisle for taking in "two more strays" when they adopted Em and Jazz, claiming that it was diluting the Cullen name with bad blood, I called them out on it. _

_Esme found an eleven year old me telling a bunch of uptight snobs that they could only dream of being the kind of mom that Esme is, because her heart was able to keep growing so she could love more children who needed it. I may not have helped things when I blew a very loud, very wet raspberry at the lot of them, but later that evening Carlisle had taken me to one side and reminded me that when a gentleman is talking to ladies he should always remember his manners, but that said, he was very proud of me for defending Esme. _

_To this day, I found the need to protect those who were most important to me was a dominant desire, and now this included Bella._

_The sound of the bathroom light switch pulled me back to the present as I spun my head to observe Bella as she entered the bedroom, pausing briefly to__…__Christ on a cracker, she looked sinful and she had no idea just how beautiful she truly was judging by the way she blushed as I checked her out. She was every teenage boy's wet dream as far as I was concerned…well mine at least, seeing as she was wearing the rattiest looking batman t-shirt I'd ever seen…apart from the one that I've still got lurking about at the bottom of my closet perhaps! Peeking out from under the hem of her shirt was a pair of what looked like black cotton shorts, but they might be underwear, who cares, they made her legs look fabulous…like they went on for miles. My dick twitched at the thought of having those wonderful shapely thighs wrapped firmly around my waist as I fucked her six ways from Sunday sometime in the future, and I had to fight to supress the growl that was trying to erupt from my chest. _

_Instead, I opted to lighten the mood a little, "Batman? Oh, I think I just died and went to teenage heaven!" _

_I patted Bella's side of the bed in what I hoped would be a playful manner, "Come on Bella, let's get cosy. I need to get my geek on, plus there's some serious snuggling that I intend to be doing, and for that I need you." _

_The smile that spread across Bella's face at my words was infectious and I found myself ginning like a total fool. She actually skipped over to the bed and climbed in under the covers to join me and we burrowed down together. Wrapping her in my arms and placing tiny little kisses on her face and down her neck, I turned her so she had her back to me and I was able to wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly against me. Bella let out a stifled yawn, and relaxed further into my embrace. The fingers of my right hand slowly slinked under the hem of Bella's t-shirt and I started to trace my fingers across the softness of her hips and stomach, hoping to ease my girl off to sleep a bit quicker._

_Bella let out the most satisfyingly contented sigh I'd ever heard which made me smile into the sweet smelling skin of her neck. I could have honestly died a happy man right at that very moment, but my need to reassure her about tonight's revelations was still a dominant feeling. Ever so quietly, I started to express hushed declarations of my admiration for the woman she is and her strength._

"_Never before have I met such a beautiful creature both on the inside and out."_

"_Always believe in yourself little one."_

"_You amaze me."_

"_Don't be afraid to be who you want to be."_

_And as sleep started to claim me too…"I think I'm falling in love with you."_

Although Bella had been fast asleep when I uttered those final words, I just knew I needed to get them out there because that was exactly where my heart was heading and for the first time in almost ten years I wasn't afraid to feel it.

I polished off the last bit of my sandwich, screwing the wrapper up into a tight little ball and fired it at the waste bin like I was making the winning basket at the NBA playoffs. My little impromptu b-ball bounced into the receptacle with ease, and I lifted my arms in mock victory.

Just then the door to my office flew open and Siobhan and Ben came barrelling into the room.

I mock scowled at the pair of them, "Ever heard of knocking people?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're gonna want to hear this little bit of info Edward," Siobhan said flatly.

I signalled for them to just spill whatever it was they had to tell me.

"Come on guys, just spit it out. It can't be that bad." I cajoled, before Ben finally spoke.

"I've got some intelligence on the guy who replaced me at Denali, he's been working in New York since he graduated. Eleazar hired him as a Senior Associate, but word has it this guy will genuinely make Partner as he's got some serious cash to invest in the firm thanks to a hefty trust fund he inherited last year on his thirtieth birthday. Word has it that he's a bit of a shark." Ben said pointedly.

I thought for a second, it meant that their new hire was most likely either in my year or the year above me at Harvard seeing as I'd got in a year early thanks to skipping a year and all the AP courses I'd taken in high school.

"Okay, so do we know anything else?"

"I couldn't get any more info than that, unfortunately they're keeping his name very close to their chests till he gets assigned to his first case, and I wish I could be more helpful."

Siobhan just rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh, "Jesus, while that information is all well and good, I have the information that you really want. When I hear what Ben knew, all I had to do was get gossiping with one of Denali's secretaries while I was on my lunch break and moan about how my boss was a slave driver and a right miserable arse!"

I chuckled at Siobhan's gross exaggerations.

"Then I might have told a little lie and said I was looking for another job because I couldn't stand it here anymore, and a friend had told me they'd hired a new Senior Associate and wondered if they were looking to hire him a new secretary." She smiles sweetly at me while fluttering her eyelashes.

"God woman, you'll be the death of me, I swear! What did you find out?"

"He brought his own paralegal with him who also manages his diary etcetera; they came as a package deal. Any secretarial support is provided by one of the floating assistants. I did however manage to get a name for you so you need to tell me how much you love me!" She giggled while clapping her hands excitedly and dancing from one foot to the other.

I just needed the name so I could start doing some proper digging on what this guy was like.

Then Siobhan spoke two words that I never wanted to hear ever again, "Riley Biers."

I dived for the trash can and my lunch promptly joined the sandwich wrapper.

Fuck me! 

* * *

><p><strong>AN Oooh, so what do you think? Is our Edward falling too fast? What are your thoughts on the guy that Denali has hired?**

**Reviews are like geeky snuggles from Edward, I'd love to have more of them!**

**Coming up next will be the night out at Eclipse, a little celebration and some revelations from Edward I think. Also, who wants to finally meet everyone's favourite DILF?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do have seriously achy fingers from typing this chapter!**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me. **

**Big thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, and to all those who popped BRA on alert – you are amazing! Also, Happy Mother's Day to all those who celebrated in the USA & Canada over the weekend – hope you had a wonderful day.**

**Shout out for gemma6815 – who has left me some wonderful reviews for the first 5 chapters of BRA and is still trying to catch up. Please check out her fabulous story – Finding My Voice, it had me hooked after the first chapter!**

**New stories from two people who have been instrumental in me getting this story out there are in the authors note at the bottom – please take the time to have a read!**

**So you wanted to know who Riley Biers was to Edward. Well you're about to find out. I'll warn you now, there's some citrus action once we get to Bella's point of view in this chapter, I just hope I've done a good enough job.**

**See you at the bottom folks!**

**CHAPTER 11:**

And I just can't look its killing me

And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea

Swimming through sick lullabies

Choking on your alibis

But it's just the price I pay

Destiny is calling me

Open up my eager eyes

'Cause I'm Mr Brightside

_**Mr Brightside by The Killers**_

**EPOV:**

Gulping back the glass of water that Siobhan had placed on the glass coffee table, I reclined back in the leather armchair pinching the bridge of my nose in the vain hope that I could clear my head of all the images that were flying around behind my eyelids. It wasn't working. I had to get out of the office; I needed Esme or Carlisle to talk me down.

Coming back into my office Siobhan placed a packet of breath mints down on the table, "I've cleared your diary for the rest of the day and I've let Garrett know."

"Thanks," I murmured.

Ben cleared his throat, "Okay, so you know this guy well then?"

"It's a long story man...one that I don't want to go into now. Let's just say I thought I did, but turns out my 'Spidey-senses' were defective." I breathed out with a huff.

Ten minutes later, I'm sitting in Garrett's sleek black BMW speeding towards The Cullen house on Mercer Island. I was so lost inside my own head that I had no recollection of the journey, but we pulled up the driveway to the house in less than thirty minutes, which for Seattle traffic in the afternoon was no mean feat.

Just as I was extracting myself from the passenger seat, the front door was thrown open and Esme barrelled out, throwing her tiny arms around me in a fierce hug. I may have been over six feet tall, but my diminutive, perfectly coiffed, Gucci wearing matriarch was in full momma bear mode and right now this was exactly what I needed. Since the death of my parents Esme had been my rock, my confidant, my most loyal supporter and my fiercest protector. The moment her arms encircled my waist, I sank into her welcoming embrace like a child in kindergarten who'd fallen and skinned his knee. I needed her love and protection right now, because while I wasn't frightened that this latest shit storm could ruin everything I'd fought so hard to rebuild after college, it had seriously knocked me sideways and I wasn't quite sure how to process it.

Loosening her hold on me and stepping back slightly, Esme looked up at me, her eyes laced with concern and worry.

"Let's get you inside, the kettle's on but I have a feeling you're going to need some of Carlisle's Scotch." Taking my hand and squeezing it in a true mom style reassuring way, she pulled me along behind her into the house.

Once in the lounge, Esme went into the kitchen to organise refreshments for us all. I sank back into one of the oversized beige suede armchairs, wishing that Bella was with me right now. Just a single touch from her instantly brings a veil of calm over me.

Returning with a tea tray Esme must have let Carlisle know we had arrived because he wandered into the room right behind her. I was thankful that he wasn't on shift at the hospital, relaying what my team had told me this morning would be much easier if I only had to do it the once.

As Esme poured our refreshments while casting furtive concerned glances at me, Garrett finally brought up the elephant in the room.

"Ed, what's going on? Siobhan came bursting into my office saying something about you leaving for the day and the name Riley Biers was mentioned…" he questioned.

"He's here, in Seattle…working for Denali." I muttered, scrubbing my hands over my face before filling him in on everything that Ben and Siobhan had told me.

Esme let out a gasp and there was a rattle of china as she almost spilled the tea she had just poured out. I noticed that was using the good china tea set that Granny Platt had left her. Thank God she didn't drop the cup and saucer because it was irreplaceable, and I'd hate for that fucker to be the cause of more upset.

Garrett just shook his head in disbelief, "Just when you think Denali couldn't be more of an idiot. Does he know what a duplicitous shit that guy really is?"

"I have no doubt on that score. It's most likely one of the reason's he hired him, although I doubt he knows that he's just put the final nail in the coffin of his idea to _'lure'_ me away from you." I chuckled darkly.

"Damn straight!" he exclaimed with a loud snort. "As if I'd ever allow you to leave." He gave me a pointed look before adding with a shake of his head, "Does he honestly think we're deliberately holding you back in your career? The man really is clueless! Even Jane would perform more thorough due diligence."

Carlisle wandered over to the large wooden sideboard. Lifting the large crystal decanter that was on the top, he removed the stopper and poured out a very generous measure of Scotch into a tumbler then returned to my side and pressed the glass into my hand.

"Drink." He instructed, his tone leaving no room for me to argue, even though I was not one to drink spirits at this time of day. Bringing the amber liquid to my lips and taking a sip, I let the burn of the alcohol creep down my throat as I thought about my work at Masen Platt. To the outsider and those in legal circles it might look as though the firm was restricting me, but what they didn't know was that it was my choice to remain a Senior Associate till I felt ready because the next step would be the biggest one I'd ever make. My future was already secured, but I was determined to prove that I deserved and had earned the right to be called anything more than what I currently was.

I couldn't agree more with Garrett's view, but then something dawned on me. "Siobhan said that he'd brought his paralegal with him, what do you make of that?"

"Not sure. It's not uncommon but if he's moved here from New York then my guess is that he's screwing her."

"It would make sense, but that would mean a lot has changed since Harvard. Do you think that skanky money hungry whore found an even bigger payday?"

The men in the room turned, mouths agape, looking at Esme who just continued to sip her tea in typical society fashion, pinkie finger extended, taking tiny sips. The only giveaway to her comment was her highly perfected bitch brow, which had come from years of listening to those rich harpies big themselves up and belittle everyone else. She might run in those circles, but don't think for a minute that she is anything like them.

Gently placing her teacup and saucer down on the coffee table, she looked at us all and bristled, "What? You honestly expect me to keep my mouth shut when that social climbing slut caused so much upset? I just wish we had figured out what she was up to before my darling boy got his heart broken. I thank The Lord that Edward hadn't given her Liz's ring."

It was no secret that Esme had never liked Victoria, she didn't disguise it, but like a true lady she never once said anything bad about her to my face. She was a firm believer in the philosophy that the mistakes you make in life were exactly that…yours to make, but that you learned from them. It was not her place to interfere, or comment unless an opinion was asked for. It was yet another thing that made me love her, and wish that I'd sought counsel from her while I was dating Vicki because I could have saved myself a whole truck load of heartache.

"You and me both." I concurred quietly before whispering "She would have bled me dry and sucked the life out of me. Mom would have been turning in her grave and Dad would never have forgiven me for doing that to the family."

Carlisle sighed wearily, running his hand through his pale blond hair, "Edward, my boy, they would never have reacted like that. None of us would. Besides, if you had married that awful girl I would have insisted that Garret had you sign a pre-nup. She was so interested in the Cullen name and the funds it would bring that there was no way in hell any of us would have allowed her to have access to the legacy your parents left behind."

I nod in silent acceptance at his reassuring words. Deep down I know that he's right, but if I'm honest, I've never forgiven myself for getting involved with that toxic bitch.

I met her at a party during my first year of Law, we'd clicked instantly. Her flaming red curls, piercing blue eyes cheeks smattered with the lightest of freckles and curves in all the right places were what drew me to her, but as we got closer her fiery temper and challenging nature was just as much of a turn on to me. Being a traditional kind of guy who believed in romance, I'd courted her properly with flowers, dinners and dancing. I fell hard and fast, and thought she had too. If I'd paid closer attention to the things she said and did, I would have noticed that her dropping hints about me taking her to high end restaurants, buying her expensive trinkets and helping her with her rent when she fell out with her parents was just her way of starting to get her hands on my money. Instead, I was a young man in love and I wanted to spoil her and show her off, so I happily indulged her.

I think we'd been together for about six months when Riley moved into my spare room. Carlisle and Esme owned the apartment, but I wanted to take in a roommate so that I had some company and a more rounded college experience. I'd lived in dorms during my under-grad so people had always been around, I just rattled around the apartment till Riley came along. We shared many of the same classes and we got on great, mixing in similar circles and bonding over a love of baseball and rock music.

Vicki didn't really take to Riley's presence in the apartment, not that I actually pushed them to spend time together, but when she stayed over and he was around, the open hostility would reach almost unbearable levels. It got so bad that I started to deliberately plan for Vicki to only spend the night when Riley was out of town or out with friends.

Our one year anniversary fell around the time of Vicki's birthday and she'd been dropping hints about little blue boxes tied up with white bows, as if I didn't know that she wanted a big ass diamond from Tiffany's when she kept leaving the damn brochure lying around with her preferred selections marked with big bright pink marker pen. My head was nowhere near that stage in the relationship, even though I loved her with every fibre of my being, so I opted for a pretty platinum bracelet studded with diamonds instead – it may not have looked much, but the weight of the stones alone was close to three carats.

Her reaction to my gift should have been the first indication that something wasn't right. She gave the present a cursory glance and huffed about how I could have made more of an effort and did I not think she was worth a more extravagant and meaningful gift. The second alarm bell that should have gone off was when I came home from lectures a couple of days later to find her sharing a beer with Riley and they were being pleasant to each other.

I passed this new found friendliness between them off as them making an effort for my sake and carried on putting everything into my studies and the relationship with Victoria.

It all came crashing down one afternoon nearly six months after that. My afternoon class had been cancelled as the lecturer had come down with stomach flu, so I headed home to freshen up so that I could surprise Vicki with an early dinner.

_Letting myself into the apartment, I was greeted by a trail of haphazardly discarded clothing, and I remember seeing the pale pink stain bra with black lace trim hanging from the table lamp in the lounge and thinking that Vicki had the exact same one…I had bought it for her. It didn't register with me that the article could actually __**be**__ hers; I just thought that Riley had picked up a slightly classier chick for once._

_Making my way to my room, I could hear the pants and moans of Riley clearly having fun with his companion._

"_Shit baby, so tight, unffff…God I love your pussy…do I give it to you better than he does?"_

_His friend continued to build towards her climax with whimpers that got louder and louder till she breathed out, "Yeahhhhh Ri, damn right, so much better…uh, uh, ohhhhhhhhhh, fuuuuuuckkkkkkkkk!"_

_I froze, desperately trying to find a rationale as to why I could hear Vicki's voice coming from Riley's room and why on God's green earth would she be saying those things. Then it all seemed to click into place and something inside of me snapped._

_As the blood pulsed in my ears and my anger started to flare, I grasped the handle on Riley's bedroom door and shoved it open, only to be confronted by the image of Vicki facing the door, her mussed up hair whipping from side to side as her expression contorted in what should have been passion. In reality her 'O' face made her look more like she was in pain from the pounding she was getting from a sweat covered Riley while she was on all fours. Strangely enough the parts of the image that stuck in my mind was the blazing anger in her ice cold blue eyes at me having interrupted their little session, quickly followed by the realisation that from this angle, her tits looked fucking awful._

"_Don't let me stop you." I fumed, "I'd hate for you not to get yours Vicki, and it's always about you sweetheart, isn't it? _

_Turning on my heels, I stormed toward the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge and wait for them to have the balls to come out. The anger and frustration kept bubbling up as the minutes ticked by, and I restlessly started to bang my head off the wall cabinet that I was leaning against._

_I could hear shuffling around in the other room, and could only assume that they were gathering their clothes because when I had finally composed myself about five minutes later and wandered back out there, they were both stood there looking at me as though nothing had happened._

"_Would someone mind explaining to me what the fuck I just witnessed? No, scratch that, I don't actually care. You are both fucking done!" I turned to Riley first, "You have twenty four hours to pack your shit and get the hell out of my home." _

_Then it was Victoria's turn, "I don't ever want to see your filthy cheating face within a hundred feet of me ever again. I knew Esme and Alice didn't like or trust you, but I chose to ignore it because I loved you, guess that makes me a bit of a fool, huh?"_

_I certainly wasn't expecting what happened next. I thought that one of them might try to apologise, that Vicki might beg for forgiveness and tell me it wouldn't happen again. Not that it would have made the slightest bit of difference to me._

_Vicki's calm visage slipped and the next thing I knew I was on the receiving end of a poisoned vitriol while she jabbed one of her perfectly manicured blood red talons into my shoulder. _

"_You think you're special Edward, that you're man enough to hold my interest for this long without there being something in it for me? Just because you have the Cullen name, doesn't make you one of them. You're nothing but a wannabe with bottomless pockets. The only reason I gave you the time of day was because of the doors it could open for me. If you'd only put a ring on my finger six months ago, things would have been perfect."_

_I blanched at her words, but still she continued._

"_You honestly thought that I loved you? How deluded can you be?" she cried as she threw her head back cackling._

"_Riley has more class in his dick than you have in your whole scrawny body, and he knows how to treat a lady. You should have proposed to me Edward and saved yourself a load of heartache because no girl on campus will look twice at you when I've finished telling them what an uptight, limp dicked, momma's boy you really are!"_

_I knew she was just spewing bullshit, but it didn't stop her barbs from cutting me to the core. Riley just stood behind, arms folded across his chest while looking happy as a pig in shit, I desperately wanted to punch the smug little shit._

_I'd had enough by this point. She had destroyed every ounce of trust I might ever have in women with her words and actions, and in that moment I erected a concrete wall around my broken heart. Carlisle and Esme had brought me up to treat a woman properly, but I had never in my life wanted to hit a woman more than I did at that point. Thankfully I was able to resist that urge, opting instead for some final words for the pair while I grabbed Victoria by the arm, marching her for the door._

"_Listen sweetheart, you just showed yourself up for the classless little whore that you really are. I've had a lucky escape if you ask me."_

_As I shoved her out into the lobby, I turned to Riley, "You're welcome to her," pointing my thumb in the direction of the door before barking at him, "and I changed my mind, you have two hours to get your ass out of my apartment!" _

_I slammed the door in Vicki's face and strode into the kitchen for another beer. _

_Ten minutes later I'd called for a locksmith and shut myself in the study while I waited for my so called room-mate to leave. I can only assume that it was the 'lawyer's mind set' that had allowed me to keep control of my emotions while I dealt with the clusterfuck that had occurred. Then, in the solitude of my personal sanctuary, the tears silently slipped down my cheeks as I cried for my crushed heart, for the time I'd wasted on that lying cheating piece of trash, and at my own stupidity for allowing that cocksucker to live in my home._

_A few days later, I was having lunch with a guy from one of my Employment Law classmates, when his girlfriend joined us. She was fuming because she'd overheard Victoria and a couple of her cronies talking about our break-up. Turns out the slut had been sleeping with Riley since I'd not delivered the goods on our anniversary. Riley had been all for it because he was able to get one over on me. I was wiping the floor with him in all of our shared classes and he hated to be second best. He didn't care that Vicki's main motivator was money and the prestige that a name could bring, he just got off on the fact he'd stolen the Cullen's hot girlfriend. _

_I couldn't understand what Riley's issue with me was. I thought we got on great and were friends. I'd even offered to help him with the classes he seemed to struggle in. I didn't understand why he had such an issue with me that he had to go after my girlfriend and it wasn't till I recounted the whole story to Esme that the final piece of the puzzle fell into place._

_Pride…pure and simple. Riley Biers was a vain guy, and coming from a long line of lawyers the expectation was on him to succeed with flying colours, especially against someone who was linked to the Masen Platt empire. His grandfather had attended Harvard with Esme's father and a one sided feud had developed. Riley was aware of this because apparently his grandfather was still bitter about being outclassed in the legal field by Grandpa Platt._

_The whole thing had been nothing but a game based on greed and jealousy. The irony of it all was that Victoria had no idea that I had more wealth than __Carlisle and Esme__, and probably Riley's parents thanks to the inheritance from my parent's estate. Then again, they never knew who my birth parents were either, for which I was thankful. For some reason, I'd never discussed my mom and dad in any great detail, so perhaps it was my subconscious trying to protect me. What was left of my heart had been shattered into a million pieces at those final revelations, and had remained that way for the last eight years. _

_The whole thing left me extremely jaded when it came to women, and I had serious trust issues. For the next few years I questioned the motives of everyone, including my family and friends, and it was all down to those two who managed to destroy me emotionally. _

I wasn't aware of how long I'd been spaced out by that recollection, nor that it was now early evening but the delicious scent of Esme preparing dinner shook me out of my trance. Garrett and Carlisle were sitting on the other side of the lounge in two armchairs that were positioned by the window looking out onto the water, both nursed half-drunk fingers of whiskey while they spoke in hushed tones, occasionally one of them glancing in my direction to check on me.

One thing I loved about my family was that they didn't push me to talk things through; if I needed space then they would just let me be. That didn't mean that they wouldn't seek to make sure I was alright, but if I needed their opinions or advice then I would ask for it.

When Esme called us through for dinner, we all gathered in the kitchen as she dished up herb crusted pork loin with mashed potatoes, green beans and home-made apple sauce. We all offered our compliments on Esme's cooking which she brushed off saying that it was just something she'd thrown together seeing as she'd ended up with two extra dinner guests at short notice.

Garrett and I tried to look apologetic, but truthfully we were too busy stuffing our faces with the delicious food on our plates.

Carlisle and I offered to do the dishes so that Esme and Garrett could spend some time together. Once the dishwasher was loaded and we'd fought over who would wash and who would dry the items that were left over, he sought my assurance that this wasn't going to set me back. He wasn't prying, merely asking so that he would be able to reassure Esme we'd headed home.

"Are you okay Edward?"

It was the very question I'd been asking myself since I climbed into Garrett's car. "It can't hurt me again. I'm not the guy I was back in college, but if I'm honest, after graduation I never expected to see him again."

He nodded, a pensive look falling across his face, "Do you think she could be with him in Seattle?"

Placing the wine glass that I'd been drying down on the counter, I turned and leaned back against the cool granite and raked my hands over my face and through my hair, letting out a lengthy sigh, "I hope not. I mean, it's a possibility I suppose. It's not that I care if she is, I just don't ever want to see her again."

Carlisle nodded his head in agreement, "What about Biers? Do you think he's gotten over that mile wide chip he had on his shoulder?"

"He was never going to be half the lawyer that I was so it makes no difference. He was too lazy, but he wanted all the glory and prestige that was associated with his family name. I guess now would be a good time to tell you that the day I graduated top of my class, I felt so smug that I'd wiped the floor with him academically."

With twinkling eyes and a slight smirk Carlisle chuckles, "That might well have been my proudest moment as your guardian Edward. After all the shit the pair of them put you through, for a while we thought it would destroy you. You'd already been through so much after you lost your parents…"

Trailing off, I knew that this was difficult for him. He was my father's best friend at college and while they were on different study paths, my father with law and Carlisle with medicine, they shared a common link in Esme who had grown up with my father and was dating Carlisle.

Placing his hand on my left shoulder and squeezing gently, he continued softly, "I know we've never tried to replace your parents, and we never wanted to. Ed and Liz were irreplaceable, and losing them so suddenly left a hole in mine and Esme's lives, but raising you and Alice helped us to heal. We couldn't be more proud of the man you've become today, trust that you are doing your parents proud Edward….please never doubt it."

I reached my right hand up to where Carlisle's still rested in gentle support and covered it his hand with my own and clasped it tightly. He may not be my parent by blood, but as my father figure for the last twenty years his love and guidance had been unwavering, and I couldn't have asked for better given the circumstances.

We stood there in silence for a few more minutes before I felt the need to lift the mood slightly.

"I tell you what old man; I'll make you a promise…while I don't think we'll cross paths again professionally seeing as he's a defence attorney..." I paused for a second before delivering the punch line, "If I do run into him, I will kick his ass just for the hell of it!"

I released his hand and shrugged, then laced my hands together and cracked my knuckles as if to emphasise the statement. Laughter erupted from Carlisle at my declaration as he patted my shoulder lightly before turning to rinse off the last of the glassware.

Once we were both done, Garrett and I decided it was time to head back to the city. Hugging Esme fiercely on the porch, I whispered to her how much I loved her and how grateful I was to her for tonight.

"Oh pshhh my boy, you needed something today and I was more than happy to give it, even if all I did was put food in your stomach." She admonished.

Still holding her tightly, I was quick to convince her otherwise, "You do so much more without even realising it. In times of trouble, just being near you gives me strength. I love you Esme, more than I can ever articulate. Thank you for loving me."

Releasing her from my embrace, Esme reluctantly took a step back as Carlisle pulled her into the crook of his arm and held her close. He reached up with his free hand and brushed away a tear that had escaped from her eye before Esme pulled a handkerchief from the sleeve of her cardigan and began to dab at her eyes lightly.

I hated to see Esme cry, it was like kryptonite to me and I always wanted to do everything in my power to prevent her from ever being sad, so I was relieved when she mouthed the words "happy tears" to me and winked, letting me know she was alright.

Garrett was already waiting in the car for me with the engine running. Situating myself in the passenger seat ready for the drive back to Seattle there was a knock on the window. I clicked the button to drop the glass and Carlisle leaned down to my level.

"You might want to tell Bella everything so that she's prepared. Not that I'm saying anything will happen, but I'd hate for the pair of you to run into him socially and her not be aware of the situation. Oh…and Esme says you've kept Bella to yourself for long enough, so you can either join us for dinner on Saturday night, or bring her to the family brunch on Sunday." The mischievous look on his face told me that I was going to be in big trouble if I didn't do as I was told.

"She's coming with me to Eclipse on Friday night, so problem solved." I groused.

From the driver's seat Garrett was trying not to laugh, so I just wound the window up while shaking my head.

"You want to watch it Gar, how many times did Esme nag you about being single still while we were there?" I gave him a pointed look.

"Touché young Jedi," he guffawed. The Star Wars references always came out when he wanted to put me in my place. I was Luke Skywalker to his Master Yoda, which suited me fine because that made him green, wrinkly with hairy ears and about nine hundred years old!

Carlisle was right though, I did need to talk to Bella about this, and a whole lot more come to think about it, but for tonight I just needed to be near her, she knew about my reticence about women and relationships in the past now she needed to know why, but most of all I needed her arms wrapped around me and her lips on mine. I knew she was at home this evening, but I was unsure whether she would be up for company after such a gruelling day of meetings.

Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, the numbers told me it wasn't quite eight o'clock yet, so we'd be back in Seattle shortly. I pulled my phone from the inside pocket of my suit jacket and fired off a quick text.

_**Hi BBG, mind if I swing by? Really need to see you for one of your amazing hugs! E xx**_

My phone chimed about five minutes later.

_**Hey you, sorry for not replying sooner, was in the shower. Of course you can, everything okay? B xx**_

Biting back a groan at the thought of her in the shower, I tried to supress the image of her naked with drops of water cascading over her glorious curves, because the last thing I needed was a boner in my pants and Garrett ribbing me for it. My response to her question was instant.

_**I'm fine, a rough day with some unexpected shit. Just need to talk it out. Will be there in fifteen mins. E xx**_

I filled in Garrett on my change of destination, which was fine for him seeing as his house was also in Queen Anne, and then relaxed into the soft leather seat while we sped towards Bella's apartment.

**BPOV:**

After receiving Edward's text, I tidied up the manuscripts I was currently working on. Being stuck in the Editor's meeting for most of the day meant I was a bit behind schedule for two of the novels I was reading, so I'd cleared it with Kate that I would bring them home with me and spend tomorrow working from home to catch up without interruption. While it bothered me that something had obviously gotten under Edward's skin given that he was normally such a focused kind of guy, I was doing a little happy dance in my head at the thought of him needing me.

Dashing to my bedroom I searched for something more 'visit friendly' to wear. Edward knew I had been in the shower, and while I doubted there would be any objections from him, I didn't think it was a good idea to answer the door in just a towel given how horny I had been of late.

Knowing that he loved my Batman t-shirt, I opted for another from the retro pile, although I really did need to go shopping for something a little bit more…seductive at some point. I don't know why I didn't own anything like that, oh wait I had, but I'd burned everything that Paul had bought me because I wanted no reminders of him left and that included his choice in lingerie. I had three weaknesses when it came to my wardrobe…you could keep your high fashion outfits, just give me vintage t-shirts, shoes and pretty lingerie…and knowing what I did about Edward's love of the first two on me, I think I needed to invest in the latter…purely for Edward's benefit of course.

I'd just pulled the royal blue Wonder Woman t-shirt over my head, and tied my hair back into two loose bunches when the buzzer sounded announcing Edward's arrival. Grabbing another pair of black boy shorts I sprinted for the entry phone, naked as a jay bird from the waist down so I could let him in. Once I'd pushed the button, I slipped the shorts on over my ankles pulled them up my legs to complete the outfit and waited for the knock on my door.

Grabbing a couple of beers from the fridge and popping the tops off them, I placed them on the coffee table in the lounge as the familiar echo of knuckles rapping on wood sounded out. I couldn't help but skip to the door to let Edward in. The last week or so had been hard in terms of not spending any proper time with him, so I would readily accept an impromptu visit from my man.

Swinging the heavy wood door open to greet him, I gasped at the vision that greeted me. There he was, leaning up against the door frame, his sharp black suit jacket slung casually over his right shoulder, the crisp pale blue dress shirt slightly rumpled from the day's wear, top button undone and the tie nowhere to be seen. Scanning down his body, he had one leg crossed lazily in front of the other, and the shiniest pair of Italian leather shoes I had ever seen.

While I've seen Edward in a suit before, I don't think I've ever paid too much attention to the detail of how he dresses. If you think that he's hot dressed for a night working the bar at Eclipse, he is ten times more hot in this kind of get up.

Bending his head down to greet me with a brief kiss on the cheek, he chuckled, "Good evening beautiful, mind if I come in?"

Grinning right back at him, I shook my head, "No, come on in, I've got a beer waiting for you. Sounds like you needed one."

"Oh, baby, you're talking my language. Can I just say that I didn't think you could top the Batman t-shirt, but tonight's little get up is exceeding all expectations." Then he bent down to whisper in my ear, "The only thing missing is a pair of knee socks, if you were wearing those, I think I might die." He nipped at my neck and placed several open mouthed kisses just below my pulse point.

Playfully smacking his shoulder, I giggled. "Easy tiger, you need to drink that beer and tell me about your day."

Groaning but nodding in agreement with me, he dumped his suit jacket on the chair in my hallway then grasped my hand firmly in his pulling me towards the lounge where he dramatically flopped down onto the sofa. I reached for his beer then climbed into his lap, positioning myself sideways so that we would still be able to talk. Passing the cold bottle to him so he could take a sip, I settled into the crook of his arm, ready to hear about his day.

"Not that I'm complaining…but what brought this unscheduled appointment on?" I asked playfully.

A long sigh left Edward's lips and his brow furrowed slightly before he spilled the details of his day. "Today, I found out that someone from my past that I hoped never to see again is here in Seattle working for one of our competitors."

Over the next hour Edward told me all about Riley Biers and what he did to Edward back in college along with Edward's ex-girlfriend. I was so incensed by their appalling attitudes and actions that I couldn't even bring myself to say that woman's name. It wasn't any wonder he was more than a bit gun-shy with women in the past, but it left me extremely humbled and amazed that I have played a part in turning things around for him.

"So, are they still together after all these years?"

Taking another sip of his beer and then pulling at the corner of the label, Edward shrugged, "They might be, but I haven't seen them since Harvard and I can honestly say I don't care either way."

"That's good to know." I pressed my lips to his gently, "I wouldn't blame you for wondering."

Smiling against my mouth, Edward shook his head slightly, "It doesn't interest me Bella, I'm only interested in making sure that he doesn't have any impact on my life now that he's in town."

I couldn't agree more with Edward's attitude, and while there was a little niggle at the back of my mind about this new development, in the here and now we had to remain positive that they wouldn't cross paths any time soon.

Needing to lighten things up a little after such a weighty topic of conversation, I repositioned myself so that I was straddling Edward's legs facing him. I placed little pecks against his mouth once again as my hands flexed across the crisp cotton that shielded his chest and shoulders, "Well…" kiss, "I'm all…" kiss, "for that…" kiss, "Angel."

A groan slipped from Edward's lips as his hands trailed up my thighs, his long fingers squeezing gently as I snaked my arms up around his neck till my fingertips brushed languidly through the disarray of bronze hair on Edward's head. Skimming his soft lips down the column of my throat, his scruff lightly tickling against my skin, I couldn't help but grind against him as the tingles of pleasure from his touch started to build.

While he continued his assault on my neck with his mouth, his hands moved up from my legs, pausing at the curve of my buttocks to give them a firm squeeze before travelling upwards, underneath the hem of my t-shirt. Those strong fingers splayed across the expanse of my back, pulling me closer while pushing me down against the growing bulge in his pants.

Words failed me. All I could do was pant as I felt arousal coursing through me and my shorts got wetter.

The tips of Edward's fingers curled around my ribcage, brushing the curve of my breasts as his touches got bolder, my nipples puckered at his caress. Tender little pecks turned into scorching hot open mouthed kisses as he brought his mouth back up to mine, our tongues grazing against each other as they tangled in sensual battle for dominance.

I continued to gyrate against his hard length, as we dry humped like sex crazed teenagers. The friction against my clit felt so good through the material of my shorts. We were still fully clothed, but I had never in my life experienced anything so erotic.

"Unffff…Bella, you feel so good!" Edward gasped out as he brought his head down to my chest, brushing his nose in the valley between my breasts. "Don't stop…please don't stop." He chanted in short, low breaths while his hips started to thrust upwards to meet me.

"Touch me Edward…need more." I mewled while tugging harder on his beautiful coppery locks.

Something snapped inside of Edward, because in one swift move he flipped us so that I was pinned underneath his weight, and he had bunched my t-shirt up to expose my breasts to him fully.

"Exquisite!" He professed, as he traced the outline of my full mounds with the tip of his nose, his thumbs brushing over the puckered flesh of my nipples before his hot mouth closed round the left one, gently sucking and nibbling, while his right hand palmed at the plump flesh of the other. My skin flushed at the contact, and I could feel the start of that familiar tightening in my abdomen, and I knew I needed more contact with Edward.

Releasing my hands from his hair, I moved my hands down to tug lightly on the collar of his shirt. Thankfully Edward took the hint immediately and reluctantly breaking contact with me, he popped his cufflinks and removed them, then undid a couple of buttons before pulling the shirt off over his head, throwing it somewhere nearby. He grinned at me before diving back down to lave at my dusky pink tipped peaks.

I swear, I have never felt so good just from having my boobs worshipped, but if this was what Edward could do to me then I would quite happily let him worship them forever more. The feel of the firm contours of his chest against the softness of my stomach as he pressed his weight down on me felt like heaven. With all this going on, he was still rubbing his erection into my pussy, giving me more and more of that delicious friction which had me climbing higher and higher as the pleasure built.

With one thrust, he hit my clit just right. "Oh God Edward, right there…keep going!" I whimpered as my hands fisted into the plush material of the sofa cushions. I was once again meeting him thrust for thrust, as my orgasm started to build. His teeth were tugging gently at the taught skin of my nipple, one hand snaked upwards to grip my neck, while the other wrapped around my waist to grasp my ass, pulling me further in to his embrace.

My moans got louder as the pleasure built, and I couldn't bring myself to care what the neighbours might think.

"Let me hear you baby, just let it go." Edward panted.

Watching the muscles flex underneath his ink as Edward started to thrust harder and more erratically as he sought to bring me to my climax. I was struggling to focus on anything other than the pure unadulterated bliss that was surging through my body. With one final pass over my clit, I fell over the edge, screaming Edward's name as the blinding pleasure shook my entire body.

As I continued to ride out the waves of my climax, Edward's breathing became more labored and he gave three short thrusts before gripping me tightly and stilling his movements, collapsing his weight down on top of me.

After a few minutes, Edward lifted his head to look at me. His emerald green eyes gazed at me adoringly, before he lowered his mouth to mine once more and placed another gentle kiss against my lips. "Well Miss Swan, that's something I've not done since I was a teenager, but I must say that this was a million times better than any fumble I may have had in my formative years."

I giggled lightly, joy filling my heart at his declaration. If this was how he could make me feel without removing all our clothes, we were in for one hell of a night when we finally got to the main event.

"Well if this helps you live out some repressed teenage fantasies, then I'll gladly participate." I told him with a wink.

"You'll be the death of me, you wicked creature!" Edward groaned, before rolling onto his side and pulling me to snuggle into his side while his fingers danced along my ribcage.

"What a way to go." I murmured as I tried to stifle a yawn.

Easing himself up into a sitting position, and reached for my hand, "Come on, I think we should get some sleep. It's been a long day, and I've got a sticky situation going on in my shorts that needs to be dealt with."

After we had taken turns to get cleaned up in the bathroom, we snuggled down under the covers, Edward's long lean body curved around mine protectively. The sound of gentle snores coming from behind told me just how mentally and physically draining today had been for him, and it only made my heart swell more to know that I had brought him some kind of comfort.

As I slowly drifted off to sleep, I whispered to him just how much he meant to me, "I love you Edward."

**A/N: Phew, how was that? Not a full blown citrus fest, but hopefully it was juicy enough for you all.**

**So they love each other, but they've yet to admit it to one another, hmmm, I wonder how long it will take them to confess all. Who wants to bury Victoria and Riley for what they did to Edward? I've got a shovel here, ready and waiting!**

**On the Line by momma2fan - **Broken after the death of her fiancé, Bella moves looking for a new start. She meets and loves again, only to be left broken once more. Can Edward teach her to love again? Is she really willing to put her heart on the line?

**The Loving Kind by Thimbles - **There were nine words on the square of paper. Nine simple words that I have waited over a year to hear: "I was wrong. I miss you. I love you." My biggest mistake was falling in love with Bella. My second was telling her.

**Please click the button and leave me your thoughts - reviews are as great as dry humping with Edward!**

**Much love to you all**

**Lou xx**


	12. Chapter 12

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own any of it; but I do have a grumpy teething baby.**

**Wow, just wow! Your reaction to the last chapter was nothing short of phenomenal. I've got everything crossed that we'll hit 100 reviews at the end of this chapter.**

**Big thanks once again to ****momma2fan for beta'ing this chapter for me, I don't know how you do it seeing as you do the same for other writers plus you're working on your own story too! **

**The song choice for this chapter is a nod to my lovely hubs who adores the track I've chose, and he too is a bit of a superhero fan!**

**I've recommended a few fics in the author's note at the end of this chapter, so please have a look and visit them.**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 12:<strong>

_I can't stand to fly_

_I'm not that naive_

_I'm just out to find_

_The better part of me_

_I'm more than a bird…I'm more than a plane_

_I'm more than some pretty face beside a train_

_It's not easy to be me._

_**Superman by Five For Fighting  
><strong>_

**BPOV**

Friday had finally arrived, and I couldn't have been more thankful that the hours were ticking down towards clocking off time. I was finally up to date with my manuscripts and the authors had been receptive to my proposed changes, Kate was happy with my work and Angela was settling into the role as my replacement very nicely. All in all, things were going well.

After spending the night with Edward on Tuesday and then working at home on yesterday, I'd arrived at the office on Thursday morning to find the sweetest looking posy of white daisies and yellow tulips waiting for me on my desk. The card attached to the beautiful display read;

"_**If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever."**_

_Lord Alfred Tennyson_

Knowing that Edward has a thing for there being meaning behind his gestures, I Googled what the flowers signified and nearly spilled coffee all over my laptop at what was staring at me on the screen. In that very instant, it was cemented in my mind that I would tell him how I felt tonight. Given today's date, and what I now knew to be the reason for us going to Eclipse this evening, the timing was right. You see, Edward might have been keeping things quiet, but I knew full well what the purpose of the drinks tonight was – Edward's thirtieth birthday.

For some reason he'd not said a word to me, and I'm not sure if that was because he wasn't liking the idea of hitting that age, you know…the point where we're supposed to at least try to grow up and behave like responsible adults just a little bit more than we want to, or if it was because he didn't want me spending money on him. My suspicion leaned more toward the latter, because Edward hated the idea of me paying for anything, much to my protest, and quite often there was some sulking thrown in for good measure.

While he had surprised me with the fragrant blooms that had brightened up my work station, I had a few aces up my sleeve too, and Edward would most likely spend his day fairly confused, because in his mind I don't know. By the end of the night he wouldn't really care how I found out because if everything went according to plan he'd be unable to remember his own name once I was done with him. Quite simply I was planning to blow the guy's socks off.

It was Edward's secretary who'd tipped me off when I called to speak to him yesterday. She thought I knew and had started filling me in on what Emmett had up his sleeve for the bash at Eclipse, he was bursting with excitement at Edward being the first person ever to get the 'VIP treatment' at the bar. They'd re-booked Mike's band to play and there would be extra staff working the bar so that Emmett and Rosalie could socialise with their family and friends. In the end I'd had to ask what all the fuss was for and that was when she'd spilled the beans about Edward's turning the big three zero.

After a quick call to Kate yesterday afternoon, I took an extended break from work to do a spot of 'present' shopping and came away very happy with my purchases, and I think Edward a couple of them would give Edward a giggle too. An hour in my kitchen yesterday evening to whip up some more cupcakes for my man to share in the office and I was all set for the shenanigans to commence. Meeting Siobhan on my way to work this morning, I handed over the two dozen cupcakes, three envelopes and two wrapped parcels for her to slip onto Edward's desk at various points during the day. One was a work appropriate kind of gift, the other…not so much, but I was sure that Edward would love it all the same. Siobhan had promised me that she'd make sure that they 'just appeared on his desk' while he was in meetings and in the order that I specified.

We had both been in meetings for the majority of the day so there'd been radio silence, I was going to have to wait till tonight to find out what Edward thought of the gifts he'd had so far, and the other ones I had for him that he would receive at Eclipse and when we got back to his apartment.

I glanced at the clock and saw that it was four thirty, still another hour to go.

A light knock at my office door caught my attention.

"Come in!" I called.

The door opened slowly and in stepped Kate.

Sighing as she flopped down in the chair opposite my desk with a dramatic huff, "I'm going to head out shortly; I've had enough for this week."

I giggled, she wasn't normally one for being so theatrical unless she'd had work that was kicking her butt or her family was giving her a hard time about her career and personal life. Her father was particularly critical of her choice to go into publishing, and even more disapproving of her still being single now that she was in her late thirties.

"Well why are you sitting here talking to me then? Get out of here and start your weekend!" I giggled.

She rolled her eyes at my admonishment, "Yeah, you say that…you've got something to look forward to tonight with Edward's birthday. Me, I've got to spend the evening with my sisters listening to them prattle on about the men they've decided should date them. I swear they haven't got a clue!"

"Is it really that bad?"

"Irina has got some poor sap running around after her buying her ridiculously expensive presents, and doing her bidding just in the vain hope that she'll consider letting him take her out for dinner. My youngest sister is even worse though, it turns out she's chasing after a lawyer at one of Daddy's competitors who doesn't appear to be the slightest bit interested in her from the snippets I've overheard."

Poor Kate, it sounded like she had the right idea standing her ground over her life. When I thought about how my mother tried to force her wants and opinions on me, it made me shudder…and I live almost a thousand miles away from her. I sat there shaking my head at how peculiar her sisters sounded, and she has to live in the same city as them. It's no wonder she likes to keep some distance from them.

Continuing her slight rant, "Worse still is that she's got herself involved in some scheme of daddy's to lure this lawyer over to work for Denali, but apparently he's resisting on all fronts which is pissing them both off. Daddy's even threatened to cut her off financially unless she gets this guy to jump ship and marry her so that he's tied to the firm."

It's a wonder that Kate was still sane with the ridiculous behaviour of her family. Then a thought struck me that might make her evening a little bit more bearable.

"Tell you what, if it gets too much for you this evening, why don't you swing by Eclipse and have a drink with us?" I suggested remembering that Kate had mentioned knowing the Cullen family in a couple of our conversations.

"That's not a bad idea. It would be nice to wish Edward a Happy Birthday plus I've not seen Esme and Carlisle in over a year, it would be lovely to catch up with them. Now I think we should both get out of here and start our weekends!" she exclaimed with a grin.

So that settled it. Kate left for the day and I started to shut my laptop down. While I was waiting for it to switch off, I ran to the kitchen and rinsed my mug off before heading back to my office to gather my purse and Edward's flowers. Trotting back into the room, I stepped behind my desk to retrieve my things from the bottom drawer, and when I stood back up, I reached across the wooden expanse to grab the arrangement that had made my desk look so pretty for the last two days. It wasn't there.

In its place was a strange looking pot with what looked like yellow hyacinth, petunia and these funny little foxgloves. It definitely wasn't a typical 'Edward arrangement' but seeing as there wasn't a card attached, I could only assume that they were from him, and I would thank him when I saw him later. No doubt there was some meaning behind the choice this time, but I'd look it up on Monday when I had time. Grabbing my belongings, I dashed out of the door so I could get started on my preparations for tonight.

**EPOV:**

Today was my birthday, and I may or may not have deliberately omitted that little nugget of information when talking to Bella because I didn't want her to make a fuss and go as overboard on me as I had done with her promotion gifts. She didn't earn nearly as much as I did, nor did she have the backing of a hefty trust fund or inheritance, not that this was something I would ever boast about…I'd swap it all in a heartbeat if it meant my parents were still with me. That said, I would gladly spend every penny I had on Bella if that was what she wanted, but the fact that she didn't made her even more attractive in my eyes. While Bella was aware that I came from money, she didn't quite know how far my wealth stretched, but I planned to give her the full picture this weekend.

She would probably tear me a new one when I saw her at Eclipse and she found out the reason behind our little get together tonight. I also had a feeling that Emmett had been up to no good and plotting things. He'd been talking to Siobhan this week and she'd already told me that I would be leaving work on time with no questions asked, and on a Friday when I was going to be seeing my girl later, you were not going to be getting any argument from me.

Seeing as I was in such a good mood this morning, I'd stopped off at the Starbucks and picked up a double shot Americano to kick start my day and treated Siobhan to her favorite, a skinny caramel macchiato. I have no idea how she can drink that shit, coffee shouldn't be messed with, but then again at least it wasn't something totally ridiculous like the guy in front of me ordered. A double ristretto venti non-fat organic chocolate brownie Frappuccino extra hot…I mean, what the fuck is that anyway? I'll tell you what that is, it's wrong on every beverage level.

Sauntering into the office with drinks in hand, I couldn't help but grin like the smug bastard I was. Tonight was going to be great, Bella was staying at my place tonight and after our explosive make out session earlier in the week, I just knew it would be a birthday to remember.

"Here you go!" I placed Siobhan's beverage on her desk as she was stashing her purse underneath then she stood up, shrugging her jacket off to hang on the coat rack behind.

"What did you go and do that for hun? It's your birthday, shouldn't I be the one waiting on you hand and foot?" she queried, before taking a gulp of her drink giving me a cheeky little wink, effectively dismissing me. I shook my head and gave her a crooked grin then headed into my office.

With my hands full, I had to push the door shut with my foot before getting myself set up for the day. I had an eight thirty meeting that I needed to be at, so I fired my laptop up quickly and took some quick gulps of my coffee and grabbed the files I needed before rushing back out of the door to the boardroom.

An hour later I was walking back into my office, but I stopped dead in my tracks. There on the desk sat a single cupcake, a generous swirl of light brown coloured frosting with a candle sticking proudly out of the top, its tiny little flame flickering from the draught I'd caused when I opened the door.

It looked divine, and I was in need of a snack, perhaps Siobhan had left me a bit of a treat.

As I rounded my desk to sit down, I could see a small note underneath the awesome baked goodness. Sliding it out from underneath I thought it might be something from whichever bakery they'd come from. I was proved wrong when I slid the thick white envelope open and saw one of the notecards I'd bought for Bella staring back at me, insider was her beautiful handwriting.

_**"Everything I know I learned after I was thirty." **__Georges Clemenceau_

I let out a hearty chuckle, how in the hell had she found out? Of course, Siobhan denied all knowledge, and there was no way that Garrett had any involvement. Even the new girl on reception didn't know anything about how it got on my desk.

I took a breath and blew out the candle, making my wish. When I took the first bite out of it, I thought I was going to have a repeat performance of Tuesday night and jizz my pants because it wasn't just any old cupcake. Oh no sir, it was the most amazing tasting combination of fluffy light vanilla sponge, the frosting wasn't caramel or coffee as I had first imagined it to be; no it was peanut butter flavour! The best bit was that hidden in the middle of the sponge was a wonderfully liquid centre of grape jelly. She'd made me a freaking PB and J cake!

My girlfriend was the best ever, and I think I fell in love with her a little bit more when I found out that there were another twenty three of them in the break room for the team to enjoy. I may or may not have hijacked a couple more and hidden them in the top drawer of my desk for consumption throughout the day.

Lunchtime came and Garrett took me out for a bite. Over a shared pepperoni pizza we talked about the meeting we'd had this morning.

"So you're happy with what was agreed Ed?" he asked while trying not to burn himself on the cheese.

Finishing my mouthful and taking a sip of Coke, I cleared my throat, "Yeah, I'm ready for it. If it had happened when I was fresh out of Harvard then there's no way I would have been able to handle it. Thirty seems like the right time."

Garrett nodded in agreement. The final details were still being thrashed out, but there was no going back now, the papers had been signed. This weekend I would tell Bella what was going on, she had a right to know, and I wanted her to be part of it, I needed her by my side for this.

"Only if you're sure Edward? Esme and I will support you if you're not ready you know."

I sighed, this was something I'd battled with since the day I graduated from Law school, it was always what I wanted but I wanted to be sure that I could do this just as well as would be expected of me.

"It's time." I gave a definitive nod and the subject was dropped. We continued to idly chat about work and the gala that was coming up in the middle of August. Esme had really been going to town this year with her planning and it was looking like being an epic event. I couldn't wait to walk into that ballroom with my beautiful Bella on my arm looking more stunning that anyone else in that room in her gown. I'd be the smuggest fucker there that was for sure.

Walking back to my office after lunch, Siobhan had already gone on her break, so I decided to catch up on some emails before going into my afternoon of meetings. Well that was the plan anyway, but it looked like the birthday fairy had been once again, this time in the form of a white box tied together with a dark blue satin ribbon.

Like a kid in a toy shop, I raced to my seat and pulled the parcel towards me. Another envelope was tucked underneath the silky binding that held it together. I gingerly teased the thick paper open and slid the familiar heavy card stock open to reveal the accompanying message.

_**"There must be a day or two in a man's life when he is the precise age for something important."**_

_Franklin P. Adams_

I couldn't help but smile, my little wordsmith had such a thing for quotes with meaning, and the emphasis they gave to actions and gestures. Scanning over the words once more, I started to pull on the end of the ribbon, releasing the gift box from its restraint. I was itching to find out what was hiding underneath.

Sliding the lid up, a layer of wafer thin indigo tissue paper encased whatever was inside. Not able to stand it any longer, I tore at the delicate wrapper to reveal the most exquisite leather bound meeting pad I had ever seen. In fact I'd been looking at this kind of thing in the stationers where I bought Bella's notecards, and had decided that I needed to go back and get myself one. How did she know?

There's something about the smell of new leather, when you inhale it you can't help but smile and sigh. Bringing the soft textured folder up to my face, I did just that. Amazing!

Knowing that Bella and I were in meetings all day, I didn't want to thank her by text, email or voicemail. No, I was going to thank her good and proper in person tonight, repeatedly! Grabbing a pen from my desk and my new gift, I marched back out of the door to meet with Ben for a case update that would keep me occupied for most of the afternoon.

Déjà vu was all I could think when I got back to my office at the back end of the day. Another parcel was waiting for me upon my return. This time it was a glossy navy blue gift bag tied shut with a crisp white heavy weave ribbon. It almost seemed a shame to open the gift, because Bella puts just as much thought into the wrapping as she does the gift. That said, I might have done a very girly squeal and a bit of a happy jig knowing that Bella had gone to so much effort for me.

A third envelope peeping out of the top of the bag, so I eagerly tore into it to find out what words of wisdom she had for me this time.

"_**I'm normally not a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me Superman" **__Homer Simpson_

_**Embrace your inner geek!**_

I couldn't help but snigger at the more modern reference. I wasted no time in delving into the parcel, this time sending tissue paper flying till my fingers met with fabric. I peeked into the bag to see what was inside and was confronted with the most hilarious thing I'd ever seen…Superman underwear! Not my usual style I had to admit, but then I suspect Bella knew this when she found them. Was I willing to wear them for her? Hell yes! Tonight she was going to get me in all my geeky glory.

**BPOV:**

Walking into Eclipse, I wasn't sure what to expect. Obviously I knew that this was Edward's birthday celebration, but I didn't know how big it was going to be, or what Edward's family were actually like. I'd already met Emmett and Rose the night Edward rescued me, and I was looking forward to seeing them again, but this time I'd be meeting Alice, Jasper, Carlisle and Esme.

While I wasn't scared about meeting Edward's family, it was still a big step. My biggest concern was that I knew Alice was all about fashion; she was a designer and owned her own boutique, even if it was lingerie that she sold. Usually my clothes would not cause me such consternation, I was by no means a fashion addict, but I like classic combinations, I'm not into high end clothing nor do I care about the latest trends. I was however, determined that I would look good for Edward, and hopefully not make a fool of myself on the apparel front.

I'd played it safe with a classic pair of black skinny jeans, and layered beaded chiffon shirt with in the same midnight blue colour as the wrapping for Edward's presents and a fitted black blazer. I had a new pair of sparkly dark blue heeled sandals on my feet and I was good to go, hopefully I'd achieved a look that was stylish yet relaxed enough for a bar setting. He'd once told me that he thought the colour made me look even more beautiful than I already was. Not that I believed him, but the fact that he said it to me just made me feel all gooey inside.

This was a big step for Edward too, and I knew that for him to be happy about it meant he was totally secure in his feelings for me, especially after what that bitch and her accomplice did to him.

I was a little bit early for meeting Edward, so I headed for the bar, hoping to find Rosalie or Emmett. From behind me I heard a booming voice, "Little One, you came back to my humble establishment!"

Turning on the spot, I found myself scooped up into a bear hug by a very enthusiastic Emmett who proceeded to twirl me around in a circle. His grin was infectious, two dimples appearing on his cheeks as his eyes twinkled with excitement. From behind us, a feminine voice exclaimed, "Put her down Em, she'll get dizzy. Do you really want Edward going off on your ass for making his girlfriend sick?"

Reluctantly Emmett placed me back on the floor while grumbling, "Awww come on Rosie! I'm only showing Bella a bit of big brother love. She's practically part of the family after all!"

Rosalie just rolled her eyes at his pouty expression before pulling me into a gentle hug then stepping back and holding my gaze with her pale blue eyes, "Good to see you Bella, you look fabulous. I hope it wasn't too hard for you to walk in here tonight?"

I thought for a second. In honesty, coming back to Eclipse hadn't been that much of an issue for me. Yes, what happened with James had been distressing, but meeting Edward and our blossoming relationship far outweighed any bad memories that I might have of this place.

Shaking my head in response, "No, it was fine. I can't bring myself to dwell on the bad, when something so good came out of that night."

"Have you had any more issues with that scumbag?" she asked, taking hold of my hand.

Things had been thankfully quiet since he'd returned to work. There'd been the odd glare in my direction but apart from that, not a hint of trouble thankfully.

"He's been remarkably inconspicuous in the office, despite being back at work. To be honest, I've just avoided being anywhere near him, but my boss Kate is aware so she's keeping an eye on things too." I assured her, squeezing her hand gently.

Remembering my overnight bag was in my hand, "Rosalie, is there any chance I could put my bag in the office? I'm staying with Edward tonight and didn't really fancy doing the walk of shame in the morning." I shrugged.

"Say no more, in fact I'll take it for you!" she exclaimed a little louder than I expected which startled me. Taking the bag from my hand, she marched off towards the back of the bar leaving me a little confused by her exuberance. Emmett stood there shaking his head at his wife's slightly over the top behaviour.

"She's been on edge all day about whether you'd be alright coming here tonight. I told her not to stew over it; that you struck me as a tough old cookie, but she's a worrier, especially when it comes to family," Emmett laughed.

Draping his arm around my shoulders, he started guiding me toward a roped off area which included the booth I'd been sitting in the night I met Edward. Leaning down so that he was level with my ear, Emmett whispered, "I thought this part of the bar would be most appropriate, he had a good view of you that night you know?"

I couldn't help but giggle as my cheeks flamed which only made Emmett chuckle even louder. We were broken out of our reverie by the sound of a golden voice from behind us. "I hope you're behaving appropriately with my girlfriend Em, or I'll have to tell Rose how much money you lost in our last trip to Vegas."

Spinning out of Emmett's arm to face Edward, my jaw almost hit the floor. If I wasn't in the middle of a public place, I might well have jumped him then and there. His was dressed from head to toe in black. Wonderfully fitted straight leg charcoal colored pants that if he were to turn around I'm sure would be hugging his ass perfectly, his shirt was tailored perfectly to his frame, and the top two buttons undone exposing just a cheeky hint of his chest hair. The dark fabric stretched across his broad shoulders and molded itself to his contoured chest before disappearing into the waistband of those amazing pants. His sleeves were rolled up to just below the elbow, exposing his toned forearms perfectly. On his left wrist he wore a black leather cuff with what looked like the Cullen crest branded into it.

My eyes glazed over as I took his appearance in. Oh God he looked like sex on a stick and I wanted nothing more than to have a nibble. I might have groaned out loud, I couldn't be sure, but right now I didn't care.

Gazing up at Edward while chewing on my lip, he took both my hands and entwined his fingers with mine, gradually pulling me towards him. I willingly allowed his tractor beam to reel me in as his strong arms encircled my waist in a warm embrace, one hand trailing up my back to sit firmly between my shoulder blades, the other dancing down to cup my ass and give it a firm but gentle squeeze.

"Good evening Beautiful," he whispered against my ear, his nose rubbing against the steel of my industrial, before softly kissing a trail to my mouth.

A contented sigh escaped me as I mumbled against his lips; "I missed you."

"Ditto baby, but I'm here now and we have the whole weekend if you want?" He looked hopeful at this suggestion. We'd only agreed on this evening, but I didn't have any plans for the rest of my down time, so I readily agreed.

We were yanked out of our little bubble by a shrill whistle coming from the direction of the area set aside for the celebrations.

"Yo, Edward…you gonna hog the girl all night, or do we finally get to meet the hottie that tamed the beast and made his blackened heart start to function once again."

I moved my head slightly to see where the comment had come from. Standing on one of the benches was a tall guy with dark blonde shaggy looking hair, his eyes twinkling with mirth and a smirk plastered across his face. With a beer bottle in his hand, he raised it in acknowledgement of me then took a sip, while a tiny little pixie-like woman with cropped, wispy dark hair sat to his left looking back over the back of the seat offering me an apologetic look. This had to be Jasper and Alice.

"Jazz man, this is a classy establishment, do you mind not lowering the tone to the point that it's like a Texas gin joint!" Emmett boomed from across the bar.

Edward just shook his head at their antics. "Come on, I think I need to introduce you to my family before they disown me…or try to kidnap you." He murmured into my hair.

I nodded in agreement.

As we walked over to where everyone was seated including Jasper who had finally climbed down from where he was standing, Edward bent down and whispered into my ear, "I'm not sure how you found out about my birthday before today, but thank you for your gifts. They've made my day."

"You're welcome, but there's more to come." I warned with a grin as we arrived at the table where his family was sitting. Edward just huffs, shaking his head once more.

Edward stood behind me with his arms wrapped around my torso protectively, as though he thought his family might actually pounce on me if he were to let go. Clearing his throat, he finally greeted his loved ones, "Good evening familial unit, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to Miss Isabella Swan, also known as Bella, my girlfriend!"

Rosalie had now joined them at the table, and they smiled knowingly at his words.

"Took you long enough bro." Jasper groused.

Alice poked him in the ribs while looking at me apologetically, "Sorry Bella, he does have manners I promise, but when you put those three boys in the same room it's like they revert back to being at high school with the way they talk to each other. I'm Alice by the way, it's so nice to finally meet you. I love your outfit, blue is most definitely your colour, it sets off your skin tone amazingly and works so well with your hair and eye coloring. Oh my, you have a stunning figure. I'd love to get you into my store, we'll have so much fun! I can just tell that we're going be the best of friends!"

I'm not sure she even took a breath in all of that, and for a tiny little thing she sure had bags of enthusiasm. Despite her and Jasper being polar opposites, you could just tell that they fit, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Edward took over the introductions at this point.

"By now, you've worked out that this idiot next to Alice is Jasper."

"Pleasure to meet you ma'am." He declared whilst giving me a salute. He was also wearing a dark coloured shirt, more loose-fitting than Edward's but his sleeves were rolled up the same revealing that the lower part of his arms were inked. He also had more buttons on the shirt undone to reveal part of what looked like the same family crest tattoo as Edward has on his bicep.

"Rose you've already met, same with Emmett. That just leaves these two here...Carlisle and Esme, my guardians." He gestured to a couple sitting closest to me on the right who couldn't have been more than in their early forties. I was mesmerised by how stunning the couple looked together. Esme's auburn coloured hair was immaculately coiffed into a French pleat, and she was wearing a beautiful dark wrap dress with what looked to be pale blue flowers splashed across it. Her hazel eyes shone as she gave me an award winning smile. Carlisle sat with his arm protectively wrapped around her shoulders, his almost white blond hair perfectly styled. The pale blue button down shirt and beige khakis he was wearing gave him an air of effortless class without being overtly obvious.

Taking my hand and clasping it firmly in bother of hers, Esme spoke.

"Bella it's so good to finally meet you. I was beginning to think that I'd need to hunt you down myself if Edward didn't let us meet you soon!" Her eyes gleamed, and she looked like she might start to cry, but her grip on me just got tighter and tighter till I was starting to lose the feeling in my fingers. She just kept on giving me a watery grin.

"You can let go Esme, she's not going anywhere." Edward assured her as Carlisle gently pried her grasp open.

"Sorry, it's just, you don't know how long I've waited to see him happy again. The weight that he carried around with him after college has gone, and I have you to thank for that." She sniffled as Carlisle offered her his handkerchief.

"You won't find me arguing with that." Edward agreed.

Finally getting my chance to say something, I smiled brightly at them all, "It's wonderful to meet you all properly, Edward has told me a lot about you, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."

As we finally took our seats, Emmett arrived at the table with two bottles of Champagne and a tray of glasses.

"Garrett just called, he's going to be late, but he said to get started and the drinks were on him." He announced.

Alice bounced in her seat, clapping like some kind of tin monkey on speed. "Ohhhh, bubbles! Can we do presents now?"

Edward rolled his eyes as Esme nodded in agreement. Thirty minutes later there was a pile of ripped paper on the table and a small pile of gifts in front of Edward. Carlisle and Esme had given him an all expenses paid weekend in Las Vegas for up to six people…excluding gambling money of course. Alice had gone to town for her big brother, there was a Gucci Chronograph watch, a thousand dollars to spend with the personal shopper at Neiman's in Bellevue, a twelve year old bottle of Macallan's which was Edward's favourite, and Jasper had promised to do his next tattoo on the house.

Rose and Emmett hadn't given him a flat package that was about the size of a piece of printer paper. When Edward ripped it open and pulled the piece of card out that was sealed within he let out a loud cry.

"NO FUCKING WAY! Tell me that's not an original Em?" Edward was practically bouncing in his seat.

I peered over his shoulder to see what was on the piece of card. It was a picture of a guitar, a very nice looking guitar.

Emmett shrugged, "Sadly not bro, if I'd dropped that kind of money on an original, then what I lost in Vegas would have looked like small change and Rose would have divorced my ass! It's a 2000 Reissue. It's in the office for you to take home, but we didn't want to bring it out here in case it got damaged. Hope it's alright."

Edward leapt from his seat and warmly embraced Emmett in a full on bear hug with lots of manly back slapping.

Scrunching up my nose in confusion because while I love music, and stuff with heavy guitar riffs in particular, I know absolutely zero about the instrument, "So that's good right?"

Returning to his seat, his eyes alight with joy at this latest gift, "It's a 2000 Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Reissue Les Paul Standard to use its full name. Basically it's my dream guitar, well the original is but I'm with Emmett on the price, there's no way I could justify that kind of spend."

"How much are we talking?" I enquired.

"It's the Holy Grail of the guitar world, there were only fifteen hundred made, so anywhere between a quarter and half a million for one in good condition." Edward admitted without missing a beat.

I on the other hand choked on the sip of champagne I'd taken and started coughing in the most un-ladylike fashion ever. Great, I was making a fool of myself in front of his family. Unfortunately, that amount of money as totally beyond my comprehension.

Edward chuckled while he rubbed soothing circles on my back as I regained my composure. When I was finally alright, I slipped my hand into my purse and pulled out the small, neatly wrapped box that contained Edward's next present from me and placed it gently in his lap.

"It's not much, but I hope you'll like them." I whispered shyly.

Edward leaned in to me, pressing his wonderfully soft lips against my cheek, "I didn't expect anything from you baby, just having you here is enough for me, but I'm sure I'll love this as much as I've loved everything else you've given me today."

Once he'd gotten through the layer of blue paper to the box inside, the corner of his mouth curled upwards, twitching slightly. He'd clearly detected the theme of most of his gifts from me, but after such wonderful presents from his family, my humorous items seemed a little out of place.

Fiddling with the hem on my blouse, I could see Edward's shoulders shaking with laughter as he stared at the contents of the box that he'd opened. "I figured you couldn't really go wrong with a pair of cufflinks." I sighed.

"Are you kidding me, these are awesome, I love them. I only own boring ones and these will certainly liven up proceedings when I'm sitting in an arbitration meeting." He chuckled turning the box around to show his family the enamelled pair of Batman logos nestled inside.

I blushed profusely, I wasn't used to having a boyfriend be this happy with a gift I'd bought. Paul had been particularly critical if it wasn't a certain brand, or something he'd specifically asked for.

Leaning back in to my ear, he whispered, "I love them because you chose them for me. If you're really lucky, I might even wear them with your other gift!" before pulling back and giving me a saucy wink. Oh hell, there go my panties, I'm getting wet thinking of my boyfriend wearing nothing but shirt cuffs with Batman studded through them and a pair of Spiderman underwear. I really am sex starved!

Moments later, the music cranked up a notch with the arrival of the band on stage and Alice decided it was a good idea for me, her and Rosalie to hit the dance floor. She tried to persuade Esme to join us but was dismissed with a gentle, "I think I'll stay here and keep Carlisle safe from the sluts at the bar dear." Glancing in that direction we spotted a group of under-dressed, old enough to know better women who clearly didn't care whether they picked up a toy boy or a sugar daddy. Esme simply gave Carlisle a peck on the cheek and the women at the bar a sly wave along with a knowing look that said, "Back off bitches, he's taken."

Giggling at her boldness, I leaned in and told her, "I like your style Esme. Mark your territory!" before Alice grabbed my hand and dragged me off to dance.

The guys on stage were rocking out with a rousing rendition of The Boys Are Back In Town, which led into a pretty good cover of Don't Stop Believing which we all sang along to with our hands in the air while we bounced up and down and rocked out to. We must have been out there for a good thirty minutes, and the things were starting to get a little crowded so I decided to take a bathroom break and grab a bottle of water.

"We'll come with." Alice informed me as Rosalie nodded in agreement. I was grateful. Walking down that corridor was not something I really envisaged doing alone, despite how rational I may have been about the events that had previously taken place.

Once we'd finished our business, we were all seated at the vanity touching up our make-up.

"So Bella, how are things going with my brother." Alice asked giving me a meaningful look.

"Ummm, it's going fine Alice. We get on really well, and I care for him a great deal." I blustered out as slicked some lip-gloss on.

"You can see from the way he is with you, he's more like the old Edward. Even when he was with 'Her' he was never as comfortable as he is with you. It was almost as if he was waiting for the other shoe to drop…" she trailed off. The look on her face told me she thought she'd said too much.

Turning to face her and Rosalie, I shuddered at the memory of what Edward had told me about how Victoria had treated him. "It's alright Alice, I know all about that woman, and I can assure you that I'm not that kind of person. If I want out of a relationship then I get out, I'm not malicious, nor am I in this for how it can benefit me other than emotionally."

Immediately I was pulled into a bone crushing embrace by the little sprite like woman. "I knew you were the right fit for him, I just knew it!" she gushed.

Rose just nodded and patted my back.

Eventually Alice released me, gave me a wicked smile as I popped my makeup back into my purse. "So how's the sex, I trust he's not letting you down in that department?"

"Alice!" Rosalie gasped.

"What, it's not like I've asked her for specifics. He is my brother after all. That would just be gross. Nope, just want to make sure that things aren't going to go wrong because he's not catering to Bella's needs." She shuddered at what I can only assume was a mental image.

I was horrified and my expression must have told Rosalie so as she told Alice off.

"I am definitely not going there with you both." I shook my head.

"Fine!" huffed Alice, "but be warned, you will probably have to stake your claim when we get back out there. Not that I think Edward would do anything to hurt you, but the women that come in this bar don't just come in for the pretty drinks and electric atmosphere, if you catch my drift. They come in hoping that he'll be helping out behind the bar and that they'll get a slice of him!"

We headed back out into the corridor. I was keen to get back to my man. I felt bolstered by Alice and Rosalie's acceptance of me. Alice's enthusiasm was bordering on being a one woman cheer squad it would appear.

Rose decided she was going to get another round of drinks for everyone and Alice offered to help carry them. Grabbing the bottle of water that had been pulled out of the chiller for me and I sauntered across the bar to find Edward. Carlisle and Esme were out on the dance floor as the band were winding up their first set with a slow number, while Emmett and Jasper were off to the side talking to a tall good looking guy in a suit who had the same hair color as Esme. He had to be Garrett.

As I approached Edward who was standing by our table with his back to me, two very female hands snaked up around his neck and wove into his hair. Instantly I could see the muscles in his back and shoulders tense. This was unwelcome touching if ever I saw it. Edward brought his hands up to try to release her hold, but she wasn't having any of it, instead her left leg curled around the back of his right calf and rubbed up and down in what I'm sure was meant to be a seductive manner, but Edward visibly shuddered and tried to shrink away from her grasp. In frustration, Edward balled his fists at his side.

As I inched closer and stepped off to the side where Emmett and Jasper were, I was able to hear what the woman was saying to him and get a good view of her too. Her features were absolutely stunning and her glossy strawberry blonde hair hung in loose waves down between her shoulder blades, but she had gone way too heavy with the make-up. She was beautiful, but she looked like she was trying too hard. Her bright yellow designer dress looked to be a size too small as her pneumatic breasts spilled over the top and her fake tan looked just a little too like teak wood stain against the glare of her clothing.

"Oh Eddie, why didn't you tell me it was your birthday? We could have had a cosy little celebration for two." She purred, bringing one of her hands down and trailing her perfectly manicured talons up and down his arm.

"Tanya, I've told you before not to call me that, my name is Edward." He gritted out. "Now will you take your hands off me please?"

Even when he was being pawed at by a desperate hussy, he still remembered his manners. His gentlemanly ways were just another reason to love him.

"Oh tosh, you know you can't keep fighting your attraction to me. If you'd only just admit it then we could seriously sizzle darling." she drawled.

Edward looked like he was going to throw up at her words. This time, he successfully managed to extract her claws from him and took a welcome step backwards, reclaiming some of his personal space. The look of relief on his face was clearly visible for all to see.

Behind me, Emmett and Jasper and their companion had stopped talking and were watching the car crash unfold. If it wasn't such a laughable sight, I might have felt sorry for her but the girl was making a total fool of herself.

"I will tell you once again, like I told you the day you invaded my office space. Stay away from me! I am not interested in you! When will you get it through your head that I wouldn't be interested in you if you were the last sorry excuse of a woman on this planet?"

An unfamiliar voice came from behind me, "If I were you Miss, I'd step in there and set the young lady straight. Or at least rescue my nephew from her clutches. I'd wager that we're going to need to disinfect him as it is."

Nodding in agreement, I step up and tap Tanya, as Edward called her, on the shoulder.

I receive a cursory glance followed by a quick dismissal, "I don't need a drink thank you."

At least she remembered her manners I muse, "I'm not here to take your order."

She spins on the spot trying to block Edward from me, one eyebrow arched in challenge and her bright red lips snarling, "Listen honey, you're interrupting an important conversation and this is a private party so I suggest you run along now."

The woman even had the nerve to do that annoying wrist flicking thing, effectively telling me that she was done talking with me. Game on bitch!

From behind her, Edward growled, "Tanya…" Looking him straight in the eye, I gave a minute shake of my head, telling him to leave this to me. That million mega-watt smile flashed across his beautiful face in understanding.

"Funny…I wasn't aware there was anyone named Tanya on the guest list." I smirked, just giving her more rope to hang herself.

"Oh I can assure you that I am an old friend of the family, I'm more than welcome…whereas you don't even look like you belong in this bar never mind with these people" she exclaimed, sweeping her hands around dramatically.

A chuckle erupted from behind me as the three men formed a solid wall to back me up. Garrett whispered conspiratorially to the others, "That one's about as welcome as a dose of herpes. "

The other two giggled like a couple of schoolboys at his comment.

"Funny, seeing as I received a personal invite from the birthday boy himself."

Tanya finally took a moment to get a good look at me. Behind her Edward was having trouble stopping himself from laughing at how ridiculous she both looked and sounded. Next thing I knew she was right in my face while jabbing one of her pointy nails in my shoulder.

The cloying scent of her perfume made me want to gag as she hissed, "Now listen here. You might have bagged yourself a 'pity' invite to Eddie's birthday, but he's from a family that has certain standards, and looking at you…well, you fall way below those."

She was seriously deluded.

Jasper let out a low whistle as Emmett channelled his inner Jersey Shore with a falsetto "Oh no she didn't!"

Just as I was about to let her have it, my handsome boyfriend stepped in.

"Enough Tanya, you need to learn that when someone says no, they mean no. I would also appreciate it if you weren't so disrespectful to such a beautiful young woman."

Tanya stood there looking smug at the 'beautiful' reference, obviously fooling herself into thinking that Edward was referring to her.

By now the rest of Edward's family had arrived back at our little private area, the women had looks of total horror on their faces at what was going down. Jasper and Emmett were gently holding onto Rose and Alice to stop them from wading in. Esme had a face like thunder and Carlisle was quietly talking to Garrett and gesturing towards Edward.

"See, I told you that you had no place here. I suggest you leave before you embarrass yourself any further." She simpered.

Shaking his head, a sly grin playing on his lips, Edward spoke once more, the tenor of his voice rising ever so slightly "I couldn't have put it better myself, so why don't you leave Miss Denali."

"Why should I, if she gets to stay?" she pouted, her bottom lip sticking out as far as she could make it. Yes, she actually pouted like a child who had been told they couldn't have any candy.

Edward roared, "She stays because Bella is my girlfriend!"

Cue derisive eye rolling and a mocking tone from the oversized canary, "Girlfriend, oh please…like she has the status or breeding to be dating you Eddie."

It was finally time to put my two cents worth in. While I wasn't going to be completely rude to her because Edward's family were here, I still wanted to show her that I wasn't to be messed with, and by that I meant she needed to get her filthy slutty little hands off my man and leave. Arching my eyebrow and a small smile playing on my lips, I delivered my thoughts on the way she was behaving.

"I think that's a bit rich coming from someone who clearly got dressed in the dark and is obviously so spoiled that they don't comprehend the meaning of the word 'no'. Daddy has definitely indulged you for far too long seeing as you're a grown woman who is one step off having a full blown tantrum in the middle of a bar because the man you set your sights on isn't interested...classy indeed! If the roles were reversed _honey _then you'd probably go home screaming blue murder and file a restraining order. Come to think about it, if you don't leave my boyfriend alone, perhaps that might be worth us considering…him being a lawyer and all that!"

Stepping up to stand shoulder to shoulder with me, Esme had obviously had enough, "She has enough grace to at least get his name right young lady. Now I suggest you go because you're ruining my boy's birthday and I won't tolerate your poor manners and even poorer taste in clothes. Quite frankly, I find both to be offensive, now please leave!"

Thankfully nobody else in the bar had picked up on the tension or disturbance that had been created by Tanya's infringement on proceedings.

"I suggest you do as Esme says Tanya, you're not welcome here." Edward added.

Turning on her heel, she started to stomp off in a huff before swirling back around and marching back up to Edward.

"When this thing…" waving her bony index finger between me and Edward, "…fizzles out, you know where I am Edward. You know we're a smart match. Besides, it will all be irrelevant when you accept Daddy's offer to join his firm. Have fun slumming it till then."

_Oh my God, she's Kate's sister! Edward is the one she's been preying on. _

As she stalked off once again, Edward quickly pulled me into the crook of his arm, wrapping himself protectively around me. Raising his voice so that Tanya could hear him above the music that was being pumped over the P.A. system he yelled, "Oh Tanya, you'd better get used to it…"

She froze in her tracks and glanced over her shoulder. Edward's voice got even louder as he finished his sentence.

"… BECAUSE I LOVE HER!"

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><p><strong>AN Dun, dun, derrrrrrr! Sorry to leave you on such a cliffy, but our birthday boy's party kind of ran away with me, and I was having so much fun writing the showdown between Bella and Tanya that I figured it would be better to split the night in two. Trust me on this; you will be rewarded in the next chapter with some good old lemony goodness.**

**I hope you're not too mad at me.**

**Recommended Reads For You:**

**Starshine by lizzylillyrose**

**Better Than Pie by savannavansmutsmut**

**The Biology Project by solostintwilight**

**Please leave me some love, it's better than declarations of love from Edward Cullen (well, almost!)**

**Catch you with the next chapter soon!**

**Lou xx **


	13. Chapter 13

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however my husband does have his own pair of Batman boxers which I call his 'Kapow pants'!**

**OK, so this one was the biggest challenge I've faced so far on this journey. Trying to capture the heat and desire between my B whilst still maintaining the lightness that has transcended their relationship so far was a major task for me. I just hope that I've done them justice in your eyes. **

**To everyone who read, reviewed and put BRA on alert from the last chapter – you are all fantastic. **

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me; I hope it wasn't too much for your eyes to absorb!**

**Best warn people, this chapter is very much rated M/NC17 for language, and a big old dollop of lemony goodness. If you're easily offended or under 18 then I recommend that you change channel now!**

**I will be hiding under a blanket with a stiff drink till you reach the end and let me know how I got on. Enjoy, and I'll see you at the bottom where there's a little incentive for you to leave me some love!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 13:<strong>

_You don't have to move, you don't have to speak, lips for biting_

_You're staring me down; a glance makes me weak, eyes for striking_

_Now I'm twisting up when I'm twisted with you, brush so lightly_

_And time trickles down, and I'm breathing for two, squeeze so tightly_

_I'll be fine, you'll be fine. This moment seems so long_

_Don't waste now, precious time, we'll dance inside the song_

_**Dance Inside by The All-American Rejects**_

**EPOV:**

_Shit, fuck, shit, shit, FUCK! Why did I have to tell her that way? _

In the few weeks that we'd been together, she had quickly become the centre of my universe, the first thing on my mind when I woke each morning, and the last thing on my mind as I drifted off to sleep. I was head over heels, balls deep in love with Isabella Marie Swan and I didn't care who knew it. Although I had hoped to tell her in a more intimate way before I started making public declarations.

I'd had it all planned out; once we got back to my apartment tonight I was going to totally woo her socks off. Candles, wine, soft music, maybe get a little naked and finally tell her exactly how much she was in my heart, how she consumed my thoughts.

Everything that I'd spent the last few years working towards suddenly had purpose and meaning because of her. I know that prestige and status meant nothing to Bella, but it meant nothing to me if she wasn't there to share it with me. Who I was and what I would be didn't define me, my love for Bella made me the man I wanted to be.

Yet here I was, Edward Cullen, a Corporate Lawyer who can normally run rings around any opponent in a legal arena, and I have just had the world's worst case word vomit.

Bella stood there with her mouth wide open, staring at me. Behind her my so called brothers were grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat and as for the women, they look like they're trying hard not to scream. All I could focus on was Bella.

"Bella….I'm...I…she was just…and you were…and not listening…wouldn't leave me alone…so not how I planned to tell you," the words just spilled out of my mouth like a waterfall.

"Don't," she held her hand up to stop me from digging myself an even bigger hole. I should have known it was too soon, but for once my heart hadn't got the memo from my head and now the words were out there I couldn't bring myself to regret them. I needed her to understand that I didn't expect her to say anything back though.

Tugging on my hair as I tipped my head backwards, trying to compose myself, I let out a cleansing breath and tried to centre myself while I thought of what to say to her to make this better.

Tiny fingers wrapped around my forearms before gently trying to prise my fists out of my hair which I'm sure looked even messier than it normally did. Casting my gaze downwards, I was met with pleading eyes.

"Edward, stop, please." She begged. "Did you mean it?"

"Which bit?" I chuckled humourlessly, as I brought my arms down and wove my fingers with hers, my thumbs rubbing across her knuckles as I calmed myself.

Casting her gaze down, she whispered so quietly that I almost didn't hear her, "The most important bit."

Bella's tone was laced with disappointment, as though she believed that I didn't mean what I said. Well there was no way I was letting that shit fly. My delivery might have been unorthodox, but I'd be damned if I was letting Bella labor under the misapprehension that I regretted saying those words. The very notion cut me to the quick.

Taking my index finger and bringing it to the flawless alabaster skin of her jaw, I raised her downcast eyes to meet mine once more. Exhaling steadily, I lowered my mouth to her soft plum lips and delivered several tiny little pecks across them.

"I meant…" kiss "…every single…" kiss "…word…" kiss "…from the moment…" kiss "…I started talking."

Leaning into my touch, Bella sagged against me, "What about the last bit?"

Grinning against her mouth, I couldn't help be slightly amused by her fishing, "Especially the last bit sweetheart, with every fibre of my being. I am absolutely, utterly, one hundred per cent, head over heels, beyond a shadow of a doubt in love with you Miss Swan, and I want the whole world to know."

Placing a soft kiss against my lips, Bella finally spoke, "Well that's a good thing Mr Cullen…because I love you too."

I honestly thought my heart might burst right out of my chest at that very moment. Scooping Bella up in my arms and twirling her round and round, I couldn't help but laugh out loud, "She loves me…she said she loves me…she fucking loves me!"

Ignoring the whoops and hollers that came from my family, I dragged Bella to the dance floor so that we could remain in our little loved up bubble for a little longer. On returning to our tables, Kate Denali was deep in conversation with Carlisle and Esme offering huge apologies for her sister's rude interruption, and promising to do her best to keep her and Eleazar away if she could.

Carlisle and I assured her it wasn't necessary, we had our own way of dealing with the issue of Eleazar. Tanya was more of an embarrassment than a problem, but she did need to learn to stay away from me before I really lost it with her. My only concern was that the silly girl might change tactics and go after Bella instead to get to me, but we'd handle that if the need ever arose.

Bella pulled Kate over to another table for a chat and it was then that it all clicked into place, Kate Denali was Bella's boss Kate, I just hadn't realised she was working for Hunter, but then again I'd not seen Kate in a good few years. I knew her reputation in the publishing world was first class despite her father's dismissive attitude towards her success, simply because she hadn't joined the family firm. Bella's career would soar under Kate's guidance, and I was looking forward to being around to support and encourage her.

As the night progressed, Esme just couldn't stop grinning at me, giving me that 'Mom always knows these things' look, while Carlisle just shook his head at his wife's exuberance for my earlier announcement.

By ten thirty, I was getting really twitchy, my fingers itching to get hold of Bella and show her exactly how much I loved her. It didn't help that she'd tortured me by gyrating and grinding on the dance floor with Ali and Rose after they kidnapped her for more 'girl time'.

As they all pranced back to the table, Bella's eyes were burning bright knowing full well that I was wound up. Worse than that, I was hard, aching and agonisingly uncomfortable in the ridiculous underwear she'd bought me.

Grasping her hand and pulling her into me, I growled in her ear, "Do you have any idea what your little act has done to me BBG?"

Bella walked her fingers up my shirt as she rubbed herself against the bulge in my pants, a wicked grin on her face, "I'd say mission accomplished then!"

Minx!

I couldn't bear it any longer; I needed to be alone with her. Grasping her hand firmly, I gave my family a cursory wave goodbye, yelling that I would see them at brunch the next day before dragging Bella out of the bar and didn't stop till we made it back to my apartment.

**BPOV:**

The minute the door to Edward's apartment clicked shut, his lips were on mine once again and I found myself pinned against the cool hard wood with nowhere to go. Those strong toned arms held me firmly in place as Edward continued his assault on my mouth and jaw line. A loud, wanton moan filled the silence of the room followed by a gasp when I realised that the moan had come from me.

Deft hands snaked underneath the gauzy hem of my blouse, and agile fingers danced across my ribs, teasing and ghosting across the flesh as they travelled around to the expanse of my back.

"Oh God, I want you so bad baby." Edward panted out as he ground himself into me. The weight of his lean, toned body against me and the friction it was creating made my vision blurry and my brain scramble.

"Mmm," was the most articulate response that I was able to come up with.

My hands were firmly woven into Edward's tousled bronze mop of hair, and as he continued with his mission to make every inch of me tingle through kissing alone, I tugged lightly at the strands eliciting a satisfying throaty groan from him in return.

Fingernails started to gently rake up and down my skin as Edward's mouth inched slowly down the column of my throat, licking, sucking and nipping gently as he devoured whatever he could access. Hitching my right leg up slightly to rub it against Edward's calf added to the delicious sensations that I was feeling, as I felt my panties get more and more damp by the second.

"Oh...Edward!" I cried, tugging harder on his mane, both in pleasure and realisation that if we didn't stop now, then the final part of his birthday present would be ruined.

A hiss escaped Edward's lips, "Yesss."

"As much as it pains me to do this…" I panted out, "…we need to press pause for a moment. You've still got one more present to unwrap and for that I need my bag and for us to be somewhere more comfortable than up against your apartment door."

A disappointed sigh escaped from Edward's mouth as he rested his forehead against my collar bone.

My hands meandered down to the collar of Edward's shirt as I grasped the starched fabric of the collar to pull his beautiful face back up to mine.

Looking deep into his emerald green eyes, I whispered, "It will be worth it, I promise."

Leaning forward and pressing his lips to my forehead, Edward finally conceded and reached for my holdall before grasping my hand and leading me towards his bedroom.

Once through the door, I couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer luxury of Edward's personal space.

While the walls were a mix of a perfectly muted shade of beige, and exposed brickwork, the furniture was all perfectly matched in rich warm oak. The focal point of the room was the most ornate wrought iron bedstead I have ever seen; the frame was infinitely masculine with a steel gray finish that made it look almost industrial. Plain black cotton comforter and pillows adorned it; no doubt they would be Egyptian cotton with a ridiculously high thread count. At the foot of the bed, neatly folded back was the only hint of a female touch in the room, a pale gold chenille throw, which made the rest of the bedding look all the more like the ink filled sky outside the huge windows that filled the majority of one wall.

While it was incredibly stylish, it was also a typical 'guy' space, with the obligatory plasma screen mounted on one wall, and a DVD player tucked discreetly into a shelf on the dresser beneath it.

Edward placed my bag down on the bed, and shuffled on the spot a little.

"Welcome to my inner sanctum." He announced quietly with a tiny flourish of his hands, a look of what appeared to be nervousness creeping across his face. It was almost as though the roles had been reversed from when we'd been together at my apartment last.

Wanting to ease some of the tension that had suddenly built between us, I moved to his side and grabbed my wash bag and the top that was to form the 'wrapping' of Edward's final gift, "It's beautiful Edward, now give me five minutes and you'll get to have your final gift."

Trailing my finger lightly down his chest and biting my lip as he shuddered under my touch, I reached up on my tiptoes and placed a single chaste kiss against his soft lips, before stepping back and giving him a wink. Retreating to the bathroom, I left Edward standing there, rubbing his jaw with his hand, his brow furrowed in confusion.

**EPOV:**

Oh hell, I was so hard for Bella right now. After the blow up with Tanya at Eclipse, and we'd had a moment to digest my lack of verbal filter, I cannot begin to describe how I felt when Bella told me she loved me too. Relief flooded through my body, making me realise just how tense I'd been right up to the moment that she uttered those words that mirrored my own. From that point on all I wanted to do was show her how much I loved her through physical connection.

Flashbacks of teenage years when I first started having sex and had neither the experience nor the stamina to last more than a few minutes didn't really help my anxiety about things going well.

Now standing in my bedroom while Bella was in the bathroom, I was hard, horny and hoping to God that I didn't fail my Love when it came to the crunch.

Trying to calm myself I sat down on the edge of the bed and slipped off my shoes and socks. Un-tucking the tails of my shirt and popping the buttons open I shrugged out of the crisp dark cotton till I was just left in my dress pants. Gathering my laundry up and placing it in the hamper, I turned towards the bathroom door as it opened to reveal Bella in the hottest fucking outfit I have ever seen.

My BBG was adorned in an over-sized navy blue Captain America t-shirt complete with a faded shield logo on the front and her hair had been tied into bunches with red satin ribbon.

_FUCKING HELL!_

Grinning at me wickedly she leaned against the door frame, one leg hitched up against the wall and purred, and "I told you that there was one more present for you to unwrap, and every birthday gift needs to be tied up with ribbon."

Her statement was finished off with a lascivious wink.

A low rumble built in my chest and erupted in a loud growl as I strode over to where she stood and picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder and carried her back to the bed where I deposited her onto the mattress with a light bounce.

Giggling at my reaction, Bella moved so that she was lying on her back, propped up on her elbows with her legs bent seductively.

Shaking my head at the sight before me, "You are a dangerous creature Bella Swan…but I'll see your super hero nightwear and raise you with this…"

I quickly popped the button on my pants, dropped the zipper and allowed the material to pool at my ankles before stepping out of them quickly, and stood in a proud pose with my hands resting firmly at my hips, in all my Superman brief glory!

"Oh goodness, you really are a man of steel." Bella squeaked as I launched myself at her, my hands going to her sides pulling her to me tightly as I attacked her mouth with mine, swiping my tongue across her bottom lip begging for entrance.

Bella greedily accepted my plea, allowing my tongue to gently probe her mouth, swirling and dancing with hers as I tenderly molded my mouth to hers. My hands once again crept up her back and down her ribs, tracing feather light patterns across her silky skin, feeling the instant pucker of goose flesh in the wake of my touch.

Bella's arms wrapped around my back and her fingers found purchase in the hair at the nape of my neck, her nails grazing my skin as she tugged and pulled at the strands.

Pulling away from our kiss, I gazed into Bella's chocolate colored orbs, "I couldn't have wished for a more perfect set of birthday presents, but now I think it's time to get underneath the paper of this last one, don't you think?"

"Why don't you just rip it off and see what's underneath?" Bella challenged.

"I think you might be my own personal brand of Kryptonite." I rasped in response.

With both hands circling Bella's torso, I began to work my way down, nipping at her through the flimsy jersey fabric of the shirt. When I reached the hem, I took the material between my teeth and began to slowly pull it back up towards the soft curve of Bella's stomach, my chin brushing against the silky black satin and delicate lace of her panties for a moment before I came to a stop with my nose rubbing between the valley of her soft round breasts.

I was inches away from the 'promised land', and Bella's sweet, musky scent engulfed my senses as I tried to remain focussed and resist the little voice inside my head that was telling me to just dive straight in. Willing myself to work my way upwards and explore a little more, my tongue trailed lazy circles around her belly button before blowing gently on the dampened skin then dipping my tongue into the inviting crevice.

Bella trembled under my touch and hitched one of her legs around the back of my thigh brushing her calf up against the fine hairs , which only served to spur me on in my quest to give her as much pleasure as possible. Teasingly my fingers wandered back down till I was cradling her leg against me.

"So beautiful." I murmured against while placing hot, wet, open mouthed kisses across her ribcage, ghosting the tip of my nose along the underside of the flimsy scraps of lace covering her delectable breasts.

Eventually the need to taste those glorious peaks became too much for me. As Bella arched her back, bringing her into body further into my kisses and caresses, I seized the opportunity to remove the t-shirt, flinging it carelessly into the dark recesses of the room. My fingers hooked underneath the thin straps, slowly slipping them down her shoulders till I was able to pull the material of the cups back to reveal her delectable rose tipped mounds to me.

Feeling the moisture pooling in my mouth at the thought of wrapping my lips around those tightened buds, my tongue poked out from between my lips as I flicked against the dusky pink puckered flesh.

"Ohhh, yesss!" Bella hissed at the contact as I continued to lap at her hot flesh. Wanton pants and moans filled the air as I increased pace and pressure while my hand snaked up to knead the neglected surface of the other breast. Bella continued to grind herself against my thigh as I continued my ministrations, the connection getting damper with each new touch. I couldn't help but try to relieve some of the pressure that was building inside my own underwear.

"God I can't get enough of your tits Bella." I panted out, desperate to indulge further.

Switching to the other breast, I continued to squeeze the flesh as I worked her nipple with my lips, tongue and teeth. I discovered that Bella really liked it when I bit down and tugged gently at the pebbled tips, a wonderful blush spread across her chest as she get more turned on by what I was doing and I was rewarded a long drawn out moan that would put a porn star to shame.

As I continued to lay some love on my two friends, a tiny little question started to weave its way from the depths of my mind, till it was screaming at me from inside my head. The conversation we'd had at the book store about tattoos and piercings, Bella had said she had one other, but didn't tell me where.

I'd assumed that it would be one of her nipples, but they were completely unblemished, a vision of pure perfection. Seeing as I'd been fairly thorough in my inspection of her body so far, it left very few options for what or where it was.

_No…she can't. Can she? NO WAY! _

Peeling myself away from Bella for a brief moment, I gazed up at her quizzically.

"Sweetheart, just where is your other piercing?" I choked out, trying to regulate my breathing because if it was where I thought it was, there was no way in hell I would be able to control myself or my actions. The monster would be unleashed and I would devour her without hesitation.

Peering at me through hooded lids, Bella panted out, "Why…don't…you…find out…for yourself."

Being the good boy that I am, I followed my instructions to the letter.

**BPOV:**

I felt like I was on fire. The flames were licking at every single inch of my skin from Edward's caresses. My chest heaved as I sucked in ragged breaths trying to regain some composure. Every action made me moan and mewl like a wanton hussy but I was way past caring, so I continued to arch my body into his touch and revelled in the sensation.

It was amazing that Edward had taken this long to question where my final piece of 'jewelry' was positioned, considering he has such a sharp mind. Then again, given how tight those Superman briefs looked on him thanks to the impressive erection he appeared to be rocking. There was no way he could be comfortable in them anymore.

So I gave him an open invitation to continue his exploration. I suspected he already knew where he was going to find it, but it was hot as hell watching him seek it out.

Adjusting my position slightly, I reached behind my back and unclasped my bra. I didn't want the pesky thing to get in the way, now that we were getting to the good part. Dropping it by the side of the bed, I gazed down to watch Edward as he continued his exploration.

The feel of those soft bronze locks skimming my stomach, as his nose nudged against the damp material of my panties had me trembling once again, hungry for more. As I reached out to grasp his copper locks, pulling his face more firmly toward my core, he swiped his tongue across the material before masterfully hooking his fingers into the elastic and peeling the fabric downwards.

Kneeling back on his haunches to deftly slip them from my ankles, Edward cast an appraising eye over me as I lay before him naked.

"Exquisite." He whispered, the tone nothing short of reverent, before removing his own underwear.

The sight of him naked and hard for me for the first time is something that will forever be imprinted on my mind forever more. I may have drooled a little at the sight before me, and my fingers twitched in anticipation of getting to touch him. Propping myself up

Given Edward's height and build, along with how he felt against me through his pants in previous encounters, I always knew that he was packing something to be proud of. His cock was a nothing short of a work of art, standing proudly, hard as granite, yet silken to the touch when my fingers made contact.

A hiss escaped Edward's lips while his strong hands pushed my shoulders back down to the mattress, his entire body pressing me further into the cushioned surface.

"Not right now beautiful, this is my birthday feast and I want my desert." He smirked.

In the soft light of the room, his eyes sparkled bright and the look of hunger on his face made me ache for him to devour me.

Grasping me by my ankles, Edward parted my legs to allow him access, before sinking down till his mouth was at my knee.

His mouth worked up the inside of my thigh leaving a blazing trail on my skin where he had licked and sucked. Teeth nipped at the flesh in the most sinful way that I ached for him to just sink his teeth in harder and just gorge himself on me.

Unable to contain the thoughts I was having, I gasped out, "Oh fuck, that feels good, do it again."

A dark chuckle came from between my thighs as Edward switched sides and gave my other leg the same service.

Pleasure pulsed through me like an electric current, as Edward reached the apex of my thighs and started to nuzzle the tiny patch of hair that I'd insisted the aesthetician didn't remove for fear of looking like a five year old.

I felt the rise and fall of his chest as he inhaled before running the tip of his tongue along my folds, and arousal flooded from me with each stroke. My legs began to vibrate with the sensation overtaking every part of me as Edward moved my legs to rest on his shoulders and he cupped my ass with his hands. Fingers kneaded the flesh of my buttocks in a steady rhythm as Edwards tongue began to lap away at my pussy like a man dying of thirst. Every so often his tongue would swirl around my clit before sucking on it gently and tugging the little metal ring with his teeth.

"Oh…Mmm…Mmm!" I keened as my hands fisted the black cotton sheet underneath me, pulling and tugging as I lost control. My eyes were rolling back in my head and I couldn't focus, but Edward knew exactly what he was doing, and seemed able to read my body like no man had ever done before.

"That's it baby. Do you have any idea how hot this little thing is making me?" he growled as he came up for air.

All I could do was shake my head as he pulled on it once again before diving back in with his tongue. One of Edward's long dexterous fingers joined the party as they slid through my slick flesh, rubbing gently back and forth before one of them slipped into my aching heat, and then another.

Muffled chants came from between my legs as Edward ground himself into the mattress clearly seeking some friction to ease his own ache, "So fucking hot…dangerous woman…never in my life…die a happy man."

"Aaahhh, yeah, yeah, yesss." I hissed as Edward's talented fingers curled upwards and hit just the right spot to make me see stars and my body feel like jelly.

Wave after wave of pleasure flooded through every fibre of my being as Edward removed his fingers and licked greedily at my entrance capturing every drop of my juices as they flooded from me.

As I came down from my Edward induced state of pleasure, two emerald orbs peeked up at me as he placed tiny little butterfly kisses to the soft flesh of my mound. Reaching for his hand, I pulled his hand up to my mouth and sucked his digits in between my lips, licking the traces of my arousal off him. Edward's breath hitched, and his eyes clouded with lust at my action.

The air started to flow back into my lungs as I regained my bearings and giggled, "Wow…just, WOW!"

Moving further up my torso, still trailing his lips across my flesh which was now damp and flushed till he reached my mouth, the taste of my orgasm lingering on his lips, his fingers reached out to twine with my own, as Edward shook his head minutely and murmured seductively, "The show isn't over yet Bella."

**EPOV:**

She has her clit pierced, she has her clit pierced, clit….pierced….neat little steel ring through the hood, that delightful nub just poking out, teasing me and begging to be played with. Even the tiny strip of hair she had above her pussy was one step short of being a flashing neon arrow pointing down to where the magic happened.

Ungghhh, the whole thing was just wicked and totally irresistible in my eyes. This woman was made to be worshipped and I was more than willing to be her acolyte.

As I peppered Bella's stunning face with kisses in its post orgasmic state, I reached to my nightstand to retrieve a condom. While we'd had a conversation about past encounters and whether we were 'clean', the topic of contraception had never cropped up. I hated the feeling of latex on my cock, but I'd never once gone without and while I didn't doubt that Bella would have herself covered, for tonight it just felt like the right thing to do for both of us.

Returning to my original position, nestled firmly between Bella's long toned limbs; she brought her hand up to stroke my face.

"Happy Birthday Angel." She whispered, kissing me firmly before reaching her hand down to wrap her tiny little hand around my rock hard dick.

While I'd been occupied with Bella's sweet little kitty, the need for some friction of my own had become overwhelming to the point that I was in danger of just slamming myself into her tight little hole and fucking her into oblivion. That was till sanity took hold of my big brain once more and reasoned that a bit of dry humping with the bed would keep the beast at bay for a while.

Oh God, the feeling of her digits wrapped tightly around my aching shaft had me ready to blow my load in an instant, and when she pumped her hand up and down giving me the resistance I'd been craving I was just about done for. My hips started to involuntarily meet her motions as I ground myself harder into her.

"Unggghhh, Bella baby, you have to stop that….please?"

The look on Bella's face said that she was not happy with my request, hell, my cock wasn't happy with my request…he was practically throwing a tantrum that I'd stopped the nice lady from making him erupt with happiness.

"I'm about two seconds away from cumming all over your hand, and seeing as I'm an old man now, my recovery time is not so great…I really need to be inside you sweetheart." I begged.

Removing the foil packet from my hand, Bella tore it open and deftly sheathed me, giving one final squeeze before nodding in agreement.

"I love you." I whispered, the declaration sounding halfway between a statement and a plea.

Bella stroked my face tenderly, "I love you too…so much."

Settling myself at her entrance, I swiped the tip up and down her slit, gathering the moisture that pooled there to reduce the friction as I eased myself into Bella's sweet warmth. As I slid in to the hilt there was only one word that described how I felt both physically and emotionally.

Complete.

Dropping down onto my elbows so that they were resting on either side of Bella's head, I smoothed a strand of hair out of her eyes and gazed into them, searching for something, her assurance that I could move, or perhaps I was looking for some deeper meaning, but at that moment I suddenly felt overwhelmed with the love that I had for Bella.

A tear threatened to escape from the corner of one of Bella's deep coffee coloured eyes. Instinctively I reached up with my thumb to wipe it away.

"I can't believe it took me so long to find you." She breathed.

"I've waited my whole life for you Bella." I countered before I started to move.

Slowly, so achingly slowly I thrust my hips, slipping effortlessly through her lower lips. Bella's hands reached up to grip my shoulders, her perfectly French manicured nails digging into the flesh there providing a delightful sting.

Gradually picking up pace, gliding in and out of Bella's slick flesh, I became aware of that all too familiar coil building in the depths of my stomach and radiating out towards my groin.

Resting my full weight on my left arm, I brought my right hand down to cup Bella's breast, palming it firmly as I continued to make steady strokes. Instinctively, my eyes cast downwards to take in the sight of our bodies joined together, a light sheen of sweat building up on our skin as we moved in unison.

"Oh fuck Bella! Do you see how hot we look joined together?" I ground out, panting and clinging to the tiny scrap of control that I had. "Look baby; see how fucking your pretty little pussy fits my hard cock so perfectly?"

Bella eyed the point where we were connected with hunger, her bottom lip tugged into her mouth by her teeth. Damn, she liked it when I talk dirty, which was a good thing because when it came to sex, I've always had a filthy mouth.

"Oh shit, Oh…Oh…Oh...Mmm." She keened, as her walls started to spasm against my rigid dick while I continued to pump in and out of her. As Bella's second orgasm hit, I could feel her climax flooding out of her, increasing the slickness of my motions.

As Bella fought to catch her breath as the tremors subsided, my need to bring her release once again took over. I quickly flipped her so that I was lying on my back with her straddled across me. Gripping her firmly by the hips, pulling her against me harder, my fingers stretched up to tease her nipples, pulling, twisting, rolling and pinching the tight puckered buds.

"God, your hands feel so good Edward." Bella moaned as her hips started to undulate against my pelvis. The steady rise and fall of the rhythm she set, had me spiralling towards the abyss quicker than I ever thought possible. Moving faster, alternating with circling her hips, adding to the tingle that was building within me once again, I was heading for the point of no return.

"Ohhh, fuck Bella, just like that!"

My hands trailed south towards her clit, determined to get her off once more before I exploded.

"Ride me baby, let me see those glorious tits bouncing while you show me what you've got!"

Bella's response was immediate, she started to bounce at a fast pace and I got an even better view than I had when she was pinned to the bed. The burning in my groin just kept on building, as I reached for her piercing and began to tug with my thumb and forefinger, while my other hand rubbed tight circles around her clit.

The mewls and curses that spewed from Bella's mouth at my ministrations would have made a sailor blush, as she reached for her breasts with her own hands and began to squeeze them together in time with her movements as she ground into me harder each time.

"Pull harder!" Bella gasped on one of her more forceful downward strokes.

There was something about the commanding tone that spurred me on, tugging more forcefully at the little halo above her clit.

Bella's moans were building in pitch the firmer I tweaked till she let out an ear piercing scream as her tight pussy clamped firmly down on my cock, contracting fiercely as the warmth flowed freely. The air whooshed from my lungs at the force of her climax, ripping my own orgasm from me like a piece of elastic pulled so tight it inevitably snaps. Groaning in blissful agony as I spilled myself inside her, my body convulsing with each spurt, Bella collapsed on top of my chest in a heaving, sweaty mess.

We remained in that position, my arms wrapped around Bella's back holding her securely in place while we catch our breath. Nuzzling into my chest; her index finger tracing the pattern of the letters etched above my heart, Bella mumbled, "I don't think I can move."

A chuckle broke free from my lips, the action causing my now thoroughly spent dick to slip from its safe warm haven.

"Me either, but we're going to have to, I need to dispose of the condom and I'm guessing you could use a shower?" I sighed regretfully.

Bella rolled off to the side of me with a dramatic huff; her arm draped lazily over her eyes in protest as I slid the condom off and deposited it in the waste basket by my bed.

"You know…we could always share a shower…purely to conserve water of course." I nudged her arm away from her face, my lips curling up into a crooked smirk.

Round two was conducted while we attempted to do our bit for the environment; while rounds three and four involved the vanity unit in the bathroom, and a gentler escapade in my bed. It was after one in the morning when we both collapsed with exhaustion, satisfied beyond measure and hopeful for what would happen next for us.

As I lay in the dark, my arms wrapped tightly around Bella's petite frame as we drifted off to a peaceful slumber, I couldn't help but think how lucky I had gotten.

In all my life, I had never encountered a woman who I had felt was that whole package for me on a cerebral and sexual level, there was always something lacking in them and now I knew exactly what it was. Bella Swan was the perfect image of demure professional woman on the outside. An angel if you will, but underneath all of that pretty wrapping lies the body of a goddess, with curves to die for and to top it off she has very clearly got a naughty side. The clit piercing was all the confirmation I needed…the final piece of the complex puzzle that is my girlfriend.

Now I knew I was in for one hell of a ride in this relationship. Isabella Marie Swan was going to be more than a match for me in every way and I was looking forward to every bump and kink in the road that we travelled.

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><p><strong>AN: So there you have it! ***_**ducks for cover in case you all start throwing rotten tomatoes in my direction***_

**I hope that it was worth the wait, but I guess your comments (or lack of them) will tell me how you felt.**

**Please do leave me your thoughts as your feedback means almost as much as the image of Edward in 'all his Superman glory'. Reviewers will receive a link to the underwear that Bella bought him!**

**Fic recs for this chapter:**

**As Destiny Strikes by Fairusa84**

**Drowning, not waving by Bower-Of-Bliss**

**My Dear Edward by Jessicanov201**

**Thank you once again for sticking with me, see you next chapter where Bella will be heading for brunch with Edward's family and then she's back to work…and somebody is lurking in the shadows.**

**Much love, Lou xx**


	14. Chapter 14

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a brand new Twitter account - you can find me on there as _vodkavamp76_**

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me, and to everyone who read, reviewed and recommended the last chapter. Your feedback was wonderfully encouraging.**

**Please see the author's note at the bottom for story recommendations.**

**Sadly no citrus in this chapter, but lots of important stuff going on to keep you interested hopefully.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 14:<strong>

_Every breath you take_

_And every move you make_

_Every bond you break, every step you take_

_I'll be watching you_

_**Every Breath You Take by The Police**_

**BPOV:**

It's official, I am in love with a man who is an absolute God in the bedroom, and the bathroom, and the lounge, and the…..well, you get the picture.

While my experiences with the male species wouldn't be considered extensive, I had done enough exploration on my own to know what I liked, and what I absolutely loved, and the things that Edward did to my body were completely off the chart! It got me wondering what the outcome might be if I were to introduce him to the little drawer of tricks in my nightstand.

The weekend of Edward's birthday had been nothing short of amazing. The only time we left his apartment was to attend brunch with Edward's family, which was a very lively occasion. After the reception I'd received from everyone on Friday night, I was confident about attending this private celebration as Edward's significant other, and was really looking forward to getting to know them all much better.

While I had no preconceptions about them going into Eclipse on Friday, the way they had welcomed me, totally belied the fact that they were Seattle 'old money', based on some of the horror stories Edward and Kate had told me about social functions they had attended in the past.

Arriving at Carlisle and Esme's home on Mercer Island, I was blown away by the property, it was exactly the kind of place I had imagined them living in…stunning, yet not extravagant or pretentious. If the weather had been brighter you'd have been forgiven for thinking that we were in The Hamptons. The slate gray shingle clad house faced out onto the water, with a sloping lawn that lead down to the water's edge and a wooden jetty where a small sailing boat was moored.

As we exited the car, Esme was already at the door to greet us along with Emmett, who was munching on a rasher of bacon.

Esme embraced us in turn with hugs, kisses and warm welcomes.

"What's with the car bro?" Emmett questioned, brows furrowed.

Esme mock glared at him and reminded him of his manners, he just shrugged before turning back to Edward. I was puzzled by the question, I thought

"What's wrong with the car Em, it's just a Volvo?" Edward frowned.

"Nothing at all Eddie," Emmett snorted, bacon crumbs flying out of his mouth.

Edward shook his head "Emmett, it's just a car, and for driving in the city it's exactly what I need."

"Especially if you're an old man, oh wait…you are now!" The great big oaf guffawed.

The air was punctuated by a 'thwack' as Esme slapped him across his arm before marching back into the house muttering about him behaving like he was raised by a pack of wolves and threatening to cut off his supply of pork products. Emmett turned on his heel jogging after Esme, proffering apologies and begging for more food.

Edward reached for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, and led me through the front door to see the rest of the clan.

After hanging up our jackets in the entryway, I followed Edward through to what could only be described as the heart of the Cullen home. Esme was putting plates into a warming drawer as we entered, the rest of the family was nowhere in sight.

My jaw dropped as I took in my surroundings.

The kitchen was nothing short of a work of art. Beautiful white shaker style cabinets with brushed nickel handles were topped with glossy black granite countertops. To the far end of the room was a wall of cupboards that framed a square block of four stainless steel ovens, while the professional grade hob was mounted on the huge island that faced onto the dining area.

Edward leaned into me and whispered with a chuckle, "You're leaving me for this kitchen aren't you?"

"Not necessarily, but I am wondering if Esme is looking for a lodger. I could pay her in baked goods!" I mused with a wink.

Clutching his heart dramatically Edward sighed while waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "You wound me woman, I thought I was the only one you offered your goodies to."

As I giggled, Esme looked up and smiled warmly at me.

"Bella, I'm so pleased you could join us for Edward's birthday brunch." Her voice laced with genuine affection.

"It's very kind of you to invite me Esme, seeing as we only met last night. You have a beautiful kitchen by the way, and I can only assume that the rest of your home is just as wonderful." I gushed, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment over my word vomit.

"Nonsense child, you're special to Edward therefore that makes you special to all of us. You'll soon discover that the Cullen family is not defined by blood, but by the people we surround ourselves with and hold dear." She stated, her eyes becoming glassy.

"I couldn't have put it better myself." Carlisle added as he joined us in the room. He poured himself a cup of coffee from the machine, before striding over to his wife placing a kiss on top of her head and then seating himself at the island with the newspaper.

In that moment I knew that whatever happened, Edward's family would become very important to me, and that they would support us no matter what.

When I offered to help Esme out with brunch, she shooed us both out of the kitchen into the lounge to visit with the others who had arrived about half an hour before us. Emmett and Rose had given Jasper and Alice a lift across the bridge, and Emmett being Emmett, he wanted to arrive early; worried he might miss the food.

Yeah, that was his concern. It did make you wonder how he managed to run such a successful business when his logic is flawed by mealtime with his family!

Wandering back out into the huge open plan lounge where everyone was seated, I was once again blown away. The off-white walls made the room feel even bigger, yet there was nothing clinical about it. Overstuffed couches in shades of beige and brown were placed around a large square coffee table; the walls were dotted with the most stunning sepia toned photographs of what looked like The Sound and Mount Rainier. One entire wall of windows looked out over the water letting the light just flood in to the room.

On one sofa sat Emmett with his feet up on the coffee table, his hands clasped behind his back with his head reclined, Rose was stretched out at the other end reading a magazine with her feet propped up in Emmett's lap. Alice and Jasper were curled up together on the next seat, quietly whispering to each other in hushed tones.

Edward flopped down onto a vacant sofa and pulled me down into his lap, his thumb rubbing lazily against the denim of my jeans.

"Good time last night Eddie?" Emmett asked once we were settled.

"Yeah, it was great apart from psycho bitch crashing the party." Edward grumbled.

Emmett let out a chortle, "I wasn't referring to the bar bro, if you get what I mean?"

Rose threw the cushion she'd been resting her magazine on at her husband and hit him square in the face, "That's none of your business Em!"

Alice looked over at me as my flaming face totally gave me away as she drawled knowingly, "Oh I'd say they had a very good night judging my Bella's reaction."

I buried my head into the crook of Edward's shoulder in embarrassment, the vibration of his chest as he chuckled quietly at Alice's comment, his hand rubbing soothingly on my back. As the heat in my cheeks died down I lifted my head up just as Edward murmured in my ear, "You'll be getting no complaints from me."

Oh God, the last thing I needed was to be turned on right now, but damn if his words didn't send sparks shooting straight to my lady parts, and make my panties damp at the memory of every delicious way that he played my body last night and this morning.

Swatting his chest I realised that I was going to have to get over my self-consciousness because the Cullen family all gave as good as they got, and when it came to innuendo it was most definitely a case of 'eat or be eaten'…no pun intended!

Pulling on my big girl panties, I figured I might as well just get over it. "Don't worry Emmett, he had a lot of fun unwrapping his final present when we got home, and he enjoyed playing with it multiple times." I giggled giving him a saucy wink for good measure.

Laughter erupted all around us.

"Oh Eddie, I think Little One is going to be more than enough match for you. Welcome to the family Bella!" Emmett boomed.

A short while later Esme came through to call us through for our meal. Edward and I followed the rest of our group through to the kitchen where the large dining table was set very informally. I was a little surprised that we were eating in there till Edward whispered that ever since they were children, brunch had always been a pretty rowdy affair and Esme preferred the more informal setting of the kitchen.

Once we were all seated, Emmett started to dive for the plate with the bacon, but Esme swatted his hand away with the spatula that she was still holding.

"Will you remember your manners boy, we have company and I brought you up better than this!" she hissed.

Emmett crossed his arm and pouted, "But Ma, I'm a growing boy. Bella understands, don't you Little One?"

As Emmett reached for the plate once more, Esme swiped it from under his nose and proffered the plate to me with a devious little grin. I couldn't help but laugh as Edward encouraged me to help myself. "Don't worry Emmett, I'll leave a bit for you, but I'm a growing girl too." I smirked.

Carlisle let out a barking laugh and smacked his hand on the table, "Oh Bella, you are right at home here, and anyone who can steel bacon from that boy is a welcome addition, most definitely!"

Everyone around the table nodded in agreement, before helping themselves to their food. Chatter flowed between us all, Emmett engaging Carlisle and Jasper in conversation about how well the bar was doing and plans to open a second one in the next year. Rose and Alice were talking about the new season's range for her store.

As I tucked into my own plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast and grilled mushrooms, Esme turned to me, "Bella dear, Edward told me a little about how you met. I do hope you haven't had any more trouble with that ghastly boy?"

I paled a little at the reference to James, but felt warmed at the same time by the fact that Edward had talked about me to his family. Swallowing the morsel I had in my mouth, I took a sip of orange juice before responding. "No Esme, I've been fortunate enough to not have had any contact with James since that night." I felt Edward's hand reach under the table and squeeze my thigh reassuringly. "I'm hoping that after Edward and Emmett dealt with him that night, he thinks twice about treating any woman that way."

Esme nodded in agreement and cast her glance over at Rosalie, who had stopped her conversation with Alice to listen to ours. Her expression was tight, as though something had been said to upset her, but then she shook her head a little and whispering, "Bella, please be careful. Men like James don't change. From what I know of him based on Em, Edward and Jasper's stories, he's spent his whole life being pandered too and just like that tramp Tanya last night, the concept of being told 'no' is not something that registers. He's the kind of man who will just up his game to get what he wants…in his head, the end result justifies the means."

Her plea was so heartfelt, her eyes watering slightly as she finished. Emmett reached over and squeezed his wife gently on her shoulder.

Something told me that Rosalie was talking from experience, especially when Alice tried to change the subject to The Masen Platt Gala to lighten the mood. Giving Edward a questioning look, he shook his head minutely and whispered in my ear, "Please listen to what Rose said, she's talking from experience, but her story is not one for the dinner table. Talk to her another time and she will tell you."

I nodded in agreement, before joining in the conversation. I'd heard many things about this annual event and Hunter Publishing normally reserved at least one table for the evening.

Esme was already knee deep in her planning for this year's event, regaling us with stories of how a number of the city's major hotels had been battling for the gala to be hosted by them, and each proposal had fallen a little flat.

"It was all starting to feel a little stale and stuffy to be honest; we'd been there and done that. Then Alice suggested that seeing as this was such a big year of change for the firm, perhaps a more modern venue." She explained delightedly.

Alice nodded in agreement, practically bouncing in her seat with excitement, "Yep, given that Edward will be such an important part of the gala this year, we needed something with a bit of impact. We've done the Four Seasons and Fairmont thing to death, so this year we have the whole of the second floor at W Hotel."

"Oh wow, that hotel is totally amazing. Very hip!" I exclaimed. I'd been there for a wedding reception with Paul once, the event and the company was completely unbearable, but the venue was stunning.

"I know, when the big speech is made, and Edward takes the stage it's going to be so much fun watching the Denali family being dealt the final blow!" Alice squealed.

Carlisle gave Alice a disapproving look, "Calm down Alice, while we're all excited about the gala, and indeed what this all means for Edward, we should not delight in the misfortune of others."

Alice pouted, in a look that mirrored Emmett's from earlier, Edward just frowned, Rose and Esme just smiled at each other, Emmett laughed out loud, while I was just plain old confused.

I knew that the gala was a big deal not just for Masen Platt but for the Cullen family, I wasn't sure how Edward fitted in to the picture. He'd mentioned that there were some changes taking place, but I'd assumed that it was all to do with his legal area expanding. It just wasn't adding up for me why he would be such an integral part of the fundraiser. _I don't understand, I know that gala is important, but how does Edward fit in with all of it?_

All eyes turned to me and I realised that I'd actually uttered my question out loud.

Emmett's voice broke the silence, "Are you kidding me, this is everything the golden boy has been working towards. Garrett has been grooming him since Eddie graduated."

Still I hadn't got a clue what Emmett was rambling on about. I knew that Edward was Garrett's protégé and that law was in his blood and that he hoped to be half the attorney that his father was.

"So are they making you partner?" I enquired.

Before Edward had a chance to answer me, Emmett jumped in once again, "It was his the moment he passed The Bar, but oh no he had to wait, to feel like he earned it. You do realise that old man Denali is going to shit a brick when he finds out the truth at the gala."

This time Carlisle was the one who smacked him across the back of the head. "Use a little tact Emmett. It was always Edward's choice and we should respect his decision."

"Will everyone stop hitting me…please!" he grumbled while rubbing his head at the point of impact.

Edward let out a sigh to the side of me and pinched the bridge of his nose. I was even more puzzled by the conversation and it felt like there was a significant piece of information that I should have already been told, like I'd reading a manuscript but the chapter with the crucial detail for the plot was missing. "Edward, what is Emmett talking about?"

Throwing his napkin down on the table, Edward gritted his teeth and growled, "Thank you Emmett for your usual epic timing. I told you that I was going to speak with Bella about it this weekend, but you couldn't keep your mouth shut could you?"

"You're the one who has spent the last eight years hiding from your heritage!" Emmett jabbed with a scowl.

"I'm not hiding Emmett, I just want to feel like I deserve to be there!" he roared, leaving the rest of the table wide eyed at his behaviour. Apart from that night in Eclipse, I'd never heard Edward sound so pissed off, and the fact he'd shouted at someone he considered to be a brother at the dinner table had taken me a little by surprise. There had to be a good reason for his reaction, and I needed to get to the bottom of it.

I reached out, touching Edward's arm in an attempt to calm him down, but he shrugged away from me, preferring to thrust his hands into his hair and tug on the strands in frustration.

"Perhaps you and Bella should go and talk in the lounge." Esme suggested quietly.

"Thank you Esme." I murmured before addressing the rest of the table, "Would you please excuse us for a moment?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. As I stood from my chair, Rose threw me an apologetic look before turning to Emmett and glaring at him and whispering in hushed angry tones. Reaching out my hand, I wrapped my fingers around his and pried them away from his hair, "Let's go somewhere quiet and you can tell me what's going on." I suggested.

Once we made it to the quiet safety of the lounge, I positioned myself on the largest couch and patted the space next to me for Edward to join me.

"There's obviously something you were going to tell me, but it appears that Em beat you to the punch. What's going on Edward?"

**EPOV:**

Why couldn't that great big idiot keep his trap shut? He knew I hadn't told Bella about it all yet, and he knew that I planned to do it this weekend. I was going to kill the fucker. Better yet, no more favours of me working the bar at Eclipse, see how he likes that, and I might just have to carry out my threat to tell Rose how much he lost in Vegas!

"I don't want you to think I've been keeping things from you…I would never keep something from you intentionally…it's just…" I started, the words faltering as they tripped off my tongue.

Bella angled her tiny little frame towards me and placed her finger over my lips to silence me for a brief moment. "Shhhh, I know you wouldn't keep something from me deliberately. There's obviously something important that you planned to tell me, but the last few weeks have not exactly been straight forward for either of us in terms of spending time together. When we have there's been quite a bit of 'the heavy', so no apologies baby, just explain it to me so I understand."

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and started to tell her everything I had planned to.

"Okay, so Masen Platt was founded by Esme's and Garrett's father Liam Platt and his friend Anthony Masen. The firm was originally founded in Chicago as Masen Law by Anthony's father, and he inherited the firm when his father passed away. The partnership was created when Liam had to return to Seattle after his father had a stroke, and the office here was opened as a result."

I glanced at Bella to gauge her reaction so far. She was staring at me intently, but there wasn't a single trace of realisation yet. I went on to explain how the firm thrived and was eventually passed into the hands of the next generation of the Masen and Platt families. Garrett and Esme inherited their father's share when Liam retired, while Anthony's son owned the other half and he continued to run the Chicago office until he was killed by a drunk driver. When that happened, his share of the firm was placed in trust for his own son to one day take the reins."

Bella's brow crinkled, her thoughts clearly confounded by something, "But Esme isn't a lawyer; so how does that work?"

I was amazed that she chose to pick up on that particular detail and not the glaringly obvious one. Trust my BBG to pick up on a tiny insignificant bit of information.

"Esme has a law degree and keeps her license to practice; she just chooses not to be a major part in the firm. She does some pro-bono work through us for the women's shelter that The Masen Platt Foundation set up." I explained.

Bella nodded in understanding, "I see."

Continuing with what I was explaining. "Bella, that's not really important. Do you remember what I told you about my parents, how they died?"

"Yes, I'd never forget something like that Edward. They were killed in a car crash…" she stalled for a second, and I could see the cogs turning around in her head as things appeared to be falling into place.

Taking her hand in mine, I needed contact with her for fear that she might shy away when I admitted who I actually was. "Bella, my full name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."

Bella's breath hitched at my revelation, as she whispered "So that makes you the 'Masen' in Masen Platt?"

Pulling her into my lap, I murmured in her ear, "Yes it does, I own a fifty percent share in the company which has been held in trust till I felt ready to take on the role of Managing Partner. Dad knew that Alice would never be interested in law, so while he left the firm to me, she inherited a larger trust fund to allow her to forge her own path"

"Holy Shit!" she exclaimed.

I paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say next. I knew that Bella was leery of anything associated with status and being considered part of the elite, but at some point she was going to have to embrace it because of what I was telling her.

"Is that good or bad? I know you don't care little about status, but I'm from one of the oldest families in Chicago, and I'm afraid it's the baggage that I come with," I winced.

"Oh honey, it's definitely not bad. My issue isn't with status per say, it's with snobbery. I think I can handle your status because it's not something that defines you. I love you, and you just happen to be the heir to half a law firm." She giggled lightly.

I winced again, "Umm, it's a bit more than half a law firm."

"So you have a trust fund too? It still isn't the reason why I love you, nor does it make you who you are." She exclaimed with a touch of frustration.

I was at a loss about how to break it to her gently, but she needed to know just what she was getting into by being in a relationship with me.

"Bella, on top of my trust fund and Masen Platt, there's a business back in Chicago that belonged to my maternal grandfather - Alice and I are majority shareholders of that, plus property, stocks and other cash investments." I gently explained.

Bella's expression went from blank to stark realisation as she finally comprehended that I had more money than I would ever need in this lifetime or the next. To be honest, my worth has never been a major thing for me; I donated more to charity in a year than I spent. My inheritance has barely been touched, the only major expenses I've had since college were my cars and the apartment. Yes I liked nice clothes but I wasn't frivolous or wasteful, and I would indulge my family on birthdays or Christmas. Most of the time the interest or profit would just be reinvested and the pot would continue to grow.

"Just how much are we talking about Edward?" Her face paled as she asked the question.

Panic flew through my mind, was this going to be a deal breaker for us after all the shit she'd been through with Paul and her mom? I should have told her before, but with us baring our souls about past relationships and battle scars, there hadn't seemed to be a right time to tell her.

Nervously I chewed on my lip while I recalled the last ball park figure, "Umm, I guess at the last tax audit my accountant said I was worth around a forty million, not including the value of the two businesses."

Silence…and then more silence. Bella covered her face with her hands and rubbed furiously.

"Please say something." I pleaded.

Eventually she looked at me. "When we go to the movies, I'm guessing we won't be sitting in the cheap seats?" She quipped.

Leaping on the couch and wrapping her in the tightest of embraces, I whispered into her glossy chestnut brown mane, "Baby, I'd rent out the whole theater for you if you'd let me."

**BPOV:**

Forty million dollars…my boyfriend is sitting on an absolute fortune…and the fact that he couldn't care less about his wealth only makes me love him more. It made no difference to me whether he was a prince or a pauper; he had the heart of a lion and made me feel like I was the centre of his entire universe.

I understood Edward's trepidation over telling me the truth about his wealth and heritage, especially given my 'issues', if the roles had been reversed, I think I would have avoided it like the plague.

The rest of brunch was a subdued affair, with Emmett offering muted apologies for pushing Edward so much.

By the time we left, all was forgiven and the boys were back to being best buddies again. As Edward's significant other Esme was insistent on getting my input about the menu for his big night, and given that it's pretty much impossible to say no to Esme Cullen, I readily agreed to meet one lunchtime in a couple of weeks.

After the whirlwind that was the weekend, I was relatively pleased to be back in the office for some peace and quiet. Sipping on my first coffee of the morning, my eyes were drawn to the flower arrangement that had appeared on my desk before I left on Friday. Still puzzled by them because there was no card, I realised I hadn't thanked Edward for them.

Grabbing my phone, I fired off a quick text before heading off to meet with one of the author of the vampire novel I was editing to discuss some ways to sharpen up the latest chapters.

_**I forgot to say over the weekend, thank you for the second flower arrangement. Unusual choice BTW. B xx**_

A couple of hours later, I wandered back to my office. Angela was at her desk sorting through the post. She looked up as I walked past. "Edward called while you were gone. He said to check your phone."

That was unusual, why was he calling to make sure I checked his response, "Oh, right. Did he say anything else?"

"Nope, but you've also got something waiting for you on your desk." She grinned.

I picked up my post and messages and wandered back into my office. There on my desk was a stunning bouquet of yellow and red tulips which Edward knew were some of my favourite flowers. There must have been about fifty blooms and the fresh scent they gave off reminded me of walking through a park on a spring day when the grass had just been mown. Ignoring my phone, I strode to the arrangement spotting a little envelope, and tore it open. Inside, were the words;

_**I would never send you something that didn't truly convey how much you mean to me. All my love, Edward xxx**_

It amazed me how this man who had shied away from romantic attachments for so long, could be so effortlessly romantic with me. Placing the card down on my desk, I reached for my phone to check my messages. The one from Edward was the most recent.

_**Spoke to Angela, the other arrangement not from me. I have an idea who might have sent them, but look up the meaning of the flowers. E xx**_

Logging into my laptop, I opened up Google and punched in the flowers that were in the strange little arrangement, my eyes going wide as each one came up. Ultimately the display left on my desk on Friday was one angry bunch of flowers and the meaning of the foxgloves just confused me even more.

Scrolling through my most recent calls on my cell phone, I hit the button to call Edward back. It had hardly rung when his smooth voice filtered over the speaker.

"Hey baby. How was the meeting?" he asked.

"Good thanks, I got your messages and the tulips. They're beautiful, thank you." I gushed.

I could tell he was smiling at the other end, "You're more than welcome, I figured that seeing as you thought I'd sent you another bunch, I might as well make it so. Can't have me being put to shame by someone else now, can we?"

Even from the other end of a phone he can make me blush, "So I looked up the meaning of the other flowers…"

I could hear Edward shuffling papers, so he must have been sitting at his desk, "Yeah, did you get the same meanings I did sweetheart?"

"Jealousy, anger and insincerity? I thought it was an odd combination for you to send me, now it just feels a bit creepy." I confessed.

Edward took a deep breath, "Bella, I know we shouldn't jump to conclusions, but you're right about this being creepy. My gut tells me that this is James."

I gasped, "No way. He's an asshole, but I've had no contact with him since that night at Eclipse. He's not going to do something in the office that he works in, it's too risky."

"Bella, I don't think we can be too careful. He's always been a scheming bastard, even in high school, and he's well known for going to whatever lengths he deems necessary to get what he wants. Kicking the shit out of him that night isn't going to have changed that."

The tone of Edward's voice was thick with concern, but my gut was telling me he was wrong. There's a phrase that my father used to describe the women of Forks who had affairs with their friends husbands, but I thought it was appropriate to Edward's theory. "Honey, I think you're way off, there's no way he would crap in his own back yard."

There was a firm undertone to Edward's reply that I couldn't ignore even if I didn't agree with him, "You may be right, but I want you to be careful. There's nothing wrong with being cautious. Let Kate know about it and keep a note of anything strange that happens."

"Alright, I promise to be vigilant." I acquiesced.

"Good, now it's my turn to head off into a meeting. Enjoy the rest of your day sweetheart, I love you."

Sighing into the phone at his declaration, I made one of my own. "I love you too Edward, very much."

We said our goodbyes and then hung up.

Nothing happened during the rest of the day, which I was grateful for. Tuesday passed without incident either, as did Wednesday which also saw me and Edward having a date at the movies. He didn't rent out the whole theater as he'd claimed would do, but he was very insistent that we have luxury seats, I caved in on the understanding that I was buying the popcorn.

Thursday was not a great day. I misplaced a manuscript that I needed to discuss with Kate; thankfully Angela had made a copy in case of emergency and all my notes were saved to my laptop.

Friday came and I was practically counting down the hours till it was clocking off time. Angela and I met for lunch at the deli across the street from the office. The moment we were seated with our food she went straight in for the kill.

"So then girly, how's life in the land of the loved up?" she quipped.

My response was to grin like a fool and take a bite of my sandwich, while Angela gave me a look that said she wouldn't leave me alone till I'd given her some juicy tidbits. I'm not normally one to spew the ins and outs of my love life, but Angela was my closest girlfriend and I trusted her implicitly. It was too much fun to let her sweat a bit though, so I remained silent and took a sip of my soda.

"Oh come on Bella, you are dating a man who is nothing short of sex on a stick. He worships the ground you walk on and could woo the panties off a nun judging by the flowers he sends you. Throw me a bone here!" she cried dramatically, slapping her hand down on the table in objection.

Nodding in agreement with her assessment, "Oh you don't know the half of it Ange. While a lady never tells, I will say that he knows exactly what he's doing in all aspects of our relationship…" Then just to throw her for a loop, I added with a wink, "…and he's completely in proportion."

Unfortunately Angela had a mouthful of sandwich at the time and she promptly started coughing and spluttering at my declaration. Passing her some napkins and her soda, I waited for her to regain her composure.

"Those are some pretty bold statements, but as long as you keep smiling then it's all good hun." She admitted. She was a good friend, and I got very lucky the day we met. She had my back and I had hers.

"He's coming into the office on Monday morning for a meeting with Acquisitions, so you'll probably see him then." I knew that the office jungle drums would start beating the moment he arrived. They normally did when a good looking man was in the building.

Angela knew what I was thinking, "You know that Lauren will be on that straight away. By the time he leaves she'll have the entire secretarial team believing that he's not only asked her out, but that he's begging her to be the mother of his children."

I shuddered at that thought, although Lauren was exactly the kind of woman that Edward had spent so long avoiding, the thought of losing him to someone like her was like a knife to my heart. Thankfully I doubted that it would ever happen, so to see her make a fool of herself next week, which she would undoubtedly do, would be great entertainment for Angela and me.

Lauren was a pushy girl at the best of times, but I'd be damned if I'd let something slide if she tried it. "Let her dream Ange, but if she tries anything I will most certainly put her straight."

We continued to eat our lunch, and the topic shifted to the odd little flowers and the mystery of where they came from.

"What did Kate say about Edward's theory on the weird flowers?" Angela asked, her voice dropping in volume to avoid prying ears from listening in.

Kate had agreed with Edward and insisted that not only did I keep notes, but that anything odd that appeared should be bagged up and locked away just in case. It was all a little bit Columbo for my liking, but I'd promised Edward so I went along with it. "She agreed, so now I'm keeping a notebook of anything that happens, and photographing or saving anything that could be classed as evidence."

Thinking for a second, Angela asked, "Have they still got the CCTV footage from the bar?"

"Yeah, Em put it in the safe in case it's ever needed. I doubt it will be, but it's good to know I have it."

Finishing off her sandwich, Angela nodded. "Well that's good then. Listen, I'll keep my ear to the ground just in case and if I spot anything out of the ordinary I'll let you know."

We strolled back into the office at a leisurely pace, it didn't matter that we'd taken longer than our permitted forty five minute break. Fridays were always very relaxed in the office, and given how often people worked through breaks or beyond their contracted hours they didn't mind if we bent the rules a little as the weekend approached.

Exiting the lift on our floor, two things happened. The first was that as we were walking back towards our part of the office, I spotted Lauren talking to James by the break room. They were deep in conversation, but when Lauren spotted us, she scowled while James gave an unnerving wave and an eerie "hello ladies" that left me feeling cold.

Angela and I mumbled a quick greeting as we hastily made our way back to our desks. It was then that I discovered the second thing. When I had gone to lunch, the bouquet of flowers that Edward sent me on Monday had been sitting on the corner of my desk, but upon my return the vase was laying on the carpet, the water spilled everywhere.

Every single one of the blooms was cut in two and the debris strewn across the floor.

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><p><strong>AN: So, is it James, or could it be someone else? Edward is the Masen heir! Like you didn't see that one coming? **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it was citrus free, but after the last chapter, I needed to recover a little. There may well be some juiciness in the next chapter though ;o)**

**Please leave me some love. Your words are nearly as wonderful as receiving a room full of tulips from Edward!**

**Recommendations:**

_**1. Torn by Dooba** – very emotional story, so be prepared to have a box of tissues handy!_

_**2. Finding Love Through Music by tufano79** – another great romance with loads of drama woven in to the ploy beautifully_

_**3. Diamond in the Rough by lmlx8** – loads of lovely lemony, kiny goodness with plenty of drama thrown in for good measure!_

**Lou xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a slowly decreasing credit card bill.**

**Apologies for the delay in getting this to you, there's no excuse about RL getting in the way. It was a case of epic nerves as I battled to write the citrus in the 2****nd**** half of this chapter.**

**Lots of love and hugs to momma2fan for her fabulous beta skills and quick turnaround – you are awesome!**

**Also, a special shout out to Shell aka Thimbles who pre-read this one for me when I got a serious case of doubt tha the tone and content was way off track. She talked me down, and told me it worked. The song for this chapter is for her – I thought we'd go with an oldie but a goodie from a much loved Aussie band of my youth! Love you Shell!**

**Please see the author's note at the bottom for my recommendations – we have a theme this time!**

**Right, on with the show…you may wish to have a fan handy, or a very cold drink to cool you down at the end.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 15:<strong>

_So slide over here, and give me a moment_

_Your moves are so raw, I've got to let you know_

_I've got to let you know, you're one of my kind_

_I need you tonight, cause I'm not sleeping_

_There's something about you girl, that makes me sweat_

_**Need You Tonight by INXS**_

**BPOV:**

If it hadn't been for the fact that a pair of scissors had clearly been used to cut the heads off the tulip arrangement, I would have chalked up the carnage in my office to a random act of misfortune. It took me and Angela an hour to clean up the mess, an hour that could have been spent doing work, which meant that I'd have to catch up over the weekend.

My day was done; there was no way I was sticking around in the office till five thirty. I asked Ange to field my calls, Kate was at lunch still so I emailed her to let her know I would be working from home for the rest of the day, and then I high-tailed it out of the door.

I decided against calling Edward, he was with clients anyway and if I told him what had happened he'd only get pissed and insist on meeting me.

As I waited for the lift to arrive I felt a shiver run down my spine as someone stepped so close to me that I could feel them breathing on the back of my neck. James' terrifying voice echoed in my ear as he trailed one of his nails alarmingly slowly down my neck and through the loose strands of my pony tail, "Sloping off early Bella? What would the management say?"

I don't know what alarmed me the most, him invading my personal space, the fact he'd touched me in the office and nobody had interrupted him meaning once again there were no witnesses, or the fact that his words felt like a thinly veiled warning.

As scared as I was of him, something inside of me snapped and I turned on my heel ready to scream at him to just back the fuck off, but all I could see was the back of him as he slinked off towards Acquisitions.

My gut told me he was responsible, but there was no proof, and without proof I had nothing. When the elevator arrived, I stepped in and as the doors slid shut I let out a groan of frustration, my finger furiously jabbing at the button that would get me the hell out of there.

I could feel the blood pulsing in my ears as I fought my way out of the metal cube when it reached the ground floor. Stepping out onto the sun kissed streets of Seattle I gasped for air, taking massive gulps into my lungs as I tried to regain my composure.

A man in a suit was just climbing out of a cab outside the office building. I managed to collect myself enough to dash over in time to grab it before anyone else. Sliding into the rear seat, I gave the driver my address, and sank back into the leather as I tried to absorb how today had gone to hell so quickly. There wasn't really much point trying to find answers, I doubted I would ever find out why I was being targeted.

When the cab drew up outside my apartment building, I shoved a twenty at the driver, telling him to keep the change and bolted out of the car and into the safety of my building. I have never been so relieved to slide the key into the front door of my home in all my life.

Throwing my jacket down in the entrance hall, dumping my work bag and kicking off my shoes, I headed for the lounge so I could just curl up on the sofa and try to forget about what was going on for a few minutes. I suddenly felt exhausted just from the sheer weight of the things that had happened to me since that night in Eclipse. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to switch off, so with a weary sigh I hauled myself up from the couch and retrieved my work bag.

Placing it on the island that separated my kitchen from the lounge area, I removed the pile of work and my laptop out of my tote.

Flicking through the files I quickly found the manuscript that I was currently working on and began to leaf through it to find my page marker. As I was thumbing through the pages a cream laid paper envelope fell out of the document and onto the floor.

I reached down, picking the paper packet up by the corner. Typed in the traditional bookish Times New Roman font on the front was the word 'Isabella' in blood red ink.

Warily I slid the flap open and looked inside. There was a single sheet of cream card stock with more of the crimson typeface peeking out from the edges. Sliding the slip of thick card out, I gasped at the words that marked the soft textured surface.

_**I see you. You refuse to see me.**_

_**I will not be denied!**_

I released it from my grasp letting the rectangular sheet fall to my feet; the message scorched my fingers with its fiery threat

The words swirled round and round in my head as the fear I'd fought to supress since the night James grabbed me in the hallway at Eclipse rose up inside me, like flames licking at a dried piece of timber. Panic grasped firmly at my throat and I fought for breath as the air in my apartment became thick. I could feel stinging in my eyes and my vision blurred as I realised that hot tears were streaming down my face as I let out choking sobs. My body caved under the pressure and crumpled to the floor, limbs curling up till I was curled in a tight ball on the cool hardwood floor.

I was vaguely aware of a pounding noise in the background; it sounded so much like the thumping going on in my head that I curled up even tighter choosing to ignore it. The hammering increased in volume, the more I tried to shut it out and then in an instant it was gone, replaced with deathly silence punctuated by my raspy, labored breaths and everything started to turn black.

There was a fuzzy awareness of my body leaving the floor, a floating sensation before the darkness finally took me.

When my eyes eventually fluttered open, they were stinging from the tears I had shed. Everything was still so murky and muddled. My face felt cold and clammy, while my head ached with the weight of the overwhelming sense of exhaustion.

As my vision adjusted to the muted illumination something brushed across my forehead and trailed down my cheek, caressing my clammy flesh. In the faint light that was cast from the doorway of the room, I could see it was a hand, a very masculine hand.

Questions flew through my mind…was I still in my apartment…who was touching me…how long had I been asleep? I knew I was lying on a bed, but was it my own? It felt like mine, and the blanket covering me had the same texture as the one that normally sat on the armchair in the corner.

Not daring to speak, for fear of who that person was, and too scared to lift my gaze to confirm the owner of the hand, I fought to keep my body as still as possible. A whimper escaped my lips, giving whoever my companion was an indication that I was awake.

The hand moved down from the side of my face, and pulled me tightly towards the body of the man who I hadn't realised was sitting on the bed with me.

"Shh sweetheart, it's okay."

Edward! Edward was with me. The fear and tension that was bubbling under the surface dissolved at the sound of his rich velvety voice, although the timbre was thick with worry.

Stretching out to ease my aching limbs, Edward relaxed his vice like grip on me to allow me to move.

"Bella, how are you feeling?" he asked softly, his fingers still stroking in soothing circles on my upper arm.

I truly didn't know at that point. If I was honest, overwhelmed and fearful would be the dominant emotions that I'd gone through since I got home. Add to that pissed off because of what happened at work and basically you just had one very angry and upset Bella.

I shrugged, finally bringing my eyes up to meet his concerned gaze, "I'm not sure to be honest. A lot has happened today, and I'm not quite sure how to process it or deal with it."

Edward nodded and pulled me closer while reaching behind him to switch on the bedside lamp. Even sitting on my bed with his back resting against the frame, he'd clearly come here straight from the office. His suit jacket had been removed and the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt were rolled up to just below the elbow. The cufflinks I'd bought him for his birthday lay on the nightstand. His pale blue silk tie had been loosened enough for him to undo the top two buttons for comfort.

Passing a glass of water to me from the nightstand, Edward murmured, "I know baby, you had me really worried for a while."

I burrowed further into his warm embrace, "Not that I'm not pleased to see you, but how did you get in here?"

The rumble of Edward's chest vibrated against my cheek as he chuckled a little at my question before answering, "Only you could be more concerned about that than anything else."

Placing a soft comforting kiss on my forehead, he sighed. "I called you at the office this afternoon, and Angela told me you were working from home for the rest of the day. She also told me why you'd left."

In the muted glow cast by the lamp, I watched Edward's brow furrow, while his usually perfect lips formed a thin line of mild annoyance. "You promised me you would let me know if anything else happened Bella. Why didn't you call?"

"I just wanted to clear my head Edward, I was pissed that someone had vandalised your gift to me and I wanted to be left alone. You were in a meeting, so there was no point in bothering you." I groused, dropping my head to avoid having to look at him.

Pulling my chin upwards so that it wasn't an option, Edward's expression fought hard to mask his anger and frustration, "Bella, it doesn't matter where I am, or what I'm doing; your wellbeing is always a priority for me. Do you have any idea how much I panicked because I couldn't get hold of you this afternoon. You weren't answering my calls or texts."

Shit, I'd had my phone on silent since this morning, and I'd not bothered to switch it back. I hadn't meant to alarm him, it was a genuine over-sight.

As a final thought, he sighed, "I just needed to know you were okay?"

The disappointment in me at the thought that I'd disregarded his feelings and concern was etched all over Edward's face.

The last time I'd been chastised for careless behaviour had been when I was eighteen, and Edward sounded just as frustrated as my father had.

Charlie caught me walking home from a party in the dark on my own. Of course it didn't help that I had consumed my own bodyweight in whiskey and was absolutely blitzed. He was working the night shift and had responded to a report of a disturbance on a quiet residential road.

The disturbance had been me arguing with myself because some guy had tried to get in my pants and I'd told him where to go. He'd then called me a 'dick tease' announcing very loudly that I was a 'frigid bitch' and that 'I needed to loosen up or my pussy would start to decay from lack of action' – just the kind of guy I would want to take home to meet daddy…not!

When dad found me I was marching up the road in a wobbly line, berating myself for letting the douchebag get to me. He never once yelled at me for being drunk, but he gave me a stern talking to about the lack of regard for my personal safety.

Crawling into Edward's lap, I peppered his chin and neck with little kisses as I fought to make him understand that my actions weren't intentional. My apology spewed forth like tidal wave.

"I'm so sorry baby, I didn't think. Things were such a mess in the office, and I just wanted to get the hell out of there, and then I saw James at the elevator and he made some comment about me leaving early which freaked me out. My head was all over the place. It just felt like my head couldn't take any more in one day and I kind of checked out."

Tucking a few tendrils of hair behind my ear, Edward gently kissed the shell of my ear, his voice cracked as he whispered, "Tell me exactly what happened."

I snuggled in closer and described to Edward how James had touched me, and how his words seemed like a thinly veiled warning. How I felt nothing but revulsion as he once again touched me without permission and my frustration at there being no witnesses.

At the mention of my encounter with James, Edward's grip on me tightened and his posture stiffened. "Bella, what about the note in the kitchen?"

"You've seen the note?"

Relaxing his grip on me and easing me away from the warmth of his body, Edward nodded slowly. "Bella, when I couldn't get hold of you I got worried, I mean really fucking worried. I don't trust that fucker one little bit, and it bothers me no end that you and him work in the same building. I was two minutes away from forming a search party with Em and Jazz to comb the city for you. Luckily Siobhan talked me down and kicked me out of the office to come here."

"Oh Edward! I truly am sorry that I caused such a disruption to your day, I'll make it up to you, I promise!" I blathered, like I could do anything to make up for his work being disrupted like that. I was angry with myself for causing such a disruption. Not quite how the girlfriend of the Managing Partner at one of the city's leading law firms should be conducting herself.

"Baby, that's not important. I arrived as a delivery person was leaving, but when I got no answer from knocking on your door I contacted the building manager. When I clarified the situation he was very accommodating about checking on you." Edward explained before hugging me tightly once again.

I was still a little confused by how he got in my apartment though. "Edward, why would the building manager let you into my home?"

A muffled response came from my shoulder, "Might have….name…..told him….lawyer…sue him."

"Run that by me again." I asked.

Raising his head a little and giving me a sheepish look, Edward repeated his previous statement. "I might have taken advantage of the Cullen name, told him I was a lawyer and that if you had come to any harm and he didn't at least check on you then I would sue his ass."

Oh hell, now the building manager was going to hate me!

Continuing his defence with a supporting argument, Edward added, "And it's a good job he listened because you were out cold on the floor near the kitchen. I think the guy was relieved when I told him I would stay with you. Anyway, when I picked you up to carry you into the bedroom the note was on the floor underneath your legs."

Sagging down into Edward's strong arms, I realised just how much of a cluster-fuck today had been.

"Bella, I doubt that there will be any fingerprints, but I've bagged it up just in case we can use it as evidence along with the tape. Did you take pictures of what had happened in your office?" he enquired while massaging a spot on my thigh.

It was as though every touch from Edward while we talked was bringing back a sense of calm to my body and mind. His presence alone helped to ground me, but the contact from him made the world stop spinning so much.

"Wasn't exactly top of my list of things to do; there was such a mess to clean up that I just wanted it gone and then for me to be gone from there." I mumbled into his shirt as tears threatened to tumble from my eyes once again.

I felt my body start to tremble and a whimper came from my throat, "Why is this happening to me Edward? What have I done wrong?"

Shifting me to the side so that he could remain holding me but be able to look at me, Edward frowned, "No baby, this is not your fault. This is a sick game being played by a spoiled rich boy who doesn't like it because a beautiful woman wasn't interested in him."

"Mmmkay." I sniffed loudly as I tried to absorb his words.

We both sat there in silence, absorbed in each other's embrace for a few minutes till I low rumbling could be heard from my stomach. I had no idea what the time was, "How long was I out?"

"It's almost six o'clock sweetheart. It was just after three when I got here." Edward murmured.

My tummy rumbled louder. I was getting hungry, but I didn't want to move.

As if Edward had read my mind, he unwound his arms from me, pressing me back into the softness of the pillows, and stretched out his long limbs before climbing off the bed.

Finally taking off his tie, and dropping it onto the chair where his jacket lay, Edward turned to me, "I'm going to order some takeout for us, and I need to make a couple of calls. How does Chinese sound?"

My mouth watered at the thought, "I could go for some crispy chilli beef and egg fried rice."

Edward nodded at my request and wandered out of the room to place our order. I sank back into the pillows and admired the view of his toned ass clad in what was probably Armani suit pants knowing his preference for the label, as it retreated out into the living area.

In my mind I was reciting the age old phrase 'I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave!'

Today may have been gone to hell, but I had an evening with my boyfriend that I was determined to enjoy. Despite everything; he smelled so good as I snuggled in to him, and his touch had served to not only sooth me but also left me needing to be closer to him.

I wanted to scrub out the memory of all of this, and absorb myself in Edward, to feel him surround me and consume me. I needed something raw and real, for him to possess me in every possible way.

**EPOV:**

Leaving Bella in the safety of her bedroom, I made my way to the kitchen to order our food. I'd phoned through to my favourite Chinese restaurant and although they didn't normally deliver, they had been known to make an exception for me, Jazz or Em. Old Mrs Li has a soft spot for the Cullen boys, and we have been frequent patrons of her humble establishment for many years.

Once that was dealt with, I busied myself gathering china, silverware and a tray to carry it all through once the food had arrived. When everything was organised, I took a moment to reflect on everything that had happened and what Bella had told me about.

After Angela had told me why Bella had gone home for the day, I wanted to check on her, make sure she was alright. I was going to suggest we had dinner or something to make up for her day being a bit shitty. Of course, both myself and Angela believed James to be behind the stunt with the flowers, it was just the kind of petty, childish act that someone like him would come up with.

When I was unable to get hold of Bella after she left the office; I freaked out, plain and simple. It was so unlike her to not respond to my messages. Thankfully Siobhan understood my distress and unlike my plan to gather my brothers and track her down, she took a more logical approach and cleared my diary, suggesting that I see if Bella was at her apartment before we 'called in the coastguard' as she so eloquently put it.

I was determined to make sure she was safe, in my mind, that's part of the job description when it comes to Bella as far as I was concerned.

Hearing how James had approached her by the elevators, and how frightened she'd been by his actions once again had my blood boiling with fury, but knowing that he'd already managed to unnerve my beautiful girl to the point of panic made me fight to keep myself in check as I comforted her.

To say I was pissed would be an understatement. In truth I was one step away from beating the shit out of James Hunter and then ripping his arms off so I could smack him with the wet ends, just for good measure. How dare he touch my Bella? How dare he even share the same airspace as her, never mind question why she was leaving the office so early.

Of course the slimy little shit knew exactly why Bella was getting out of the office; he was the damned cause of it.

The note was a different matter however. Having found Bella passed out on the floor near her kitchen, I scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom to make her more comfortable. As I was doing so I spotted a piece of cream card on the floor where she'd been lying.

Once Bella was settled in her room, I went back out to the lounge to see if I could figure out what had gone on, and to get a glass of water for when she woke up. The card on the floor seemed to be taunting me; it looked blank from where I stood, but a niggling voice in my head told me to pick it up. Grasping it carefully at one corner, I lifted it from the floor and examined the words that I realised were printed on the reverse.

The threat and malice in the words were clear for all to see, but you could bet your ass that James' fingerprints wouldn't be on the card.

Grabbing a sandwich bag from one of the kitchen drawers I had sealed the note and envelope inside just in case we could use it. There was no way in hell that I was letting Bella handle this on her own any more. This was escalating way beyond anything that could be written off as a silly office crush.

Now as I glanced at the clock on the oven, there was still fifteen minutes till the food would arrive and I wanted Bella to rest some more. Pulling my iPhone out, I dialled Angela once again and asked if I could talk to Kate if she was still around. Luckily she was.

"Edward?" Kate's voice came down the line with a hint of question.

I sighed, not realising how much I'd been holding things together since I'd crossed the threshold of Bella's home this afternoon. "Kate, we have a potentially huge fucking problem."

Kate groaned, "What's my sister done now?"

Not even the mention of her batshit crazy sister could raise a dark chuckle, "For once she is not the cause of my headache's Katie. I need your help with Hunter."

I left the statement hanging in the air because I realised that I was asking her to help me with dealing with the son of her boss. It was an undeniably difficult position that I was going to be putting her in, never mind the fact that I needed to call Garrett straight after this to discuss conflict of interest.

"So you think he was the one who got to Bella's flowers today?" she mused.

"I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that he's involved even if he didn't wield the scissors himself, but there's more. Bella's received a threatening note which I would also bet my ass was from James." I could feel myself getting frustrated even though none of this was Kate's fault.

"Is she alright? When did she receive it?"

I thought about it, and realised that Bella didn't tell me whether it had come to the apartment or not. Looking around I noticed that Bella had some work out on the countertop, and a manuscript was open with Bella's page marker showing where she'd gotten to with her editing notes. I was pretty sure that the note had come home with Bella looking at the scene in front of me.

"She's resting at the moment, but when I got here she was passed out on the floor, probably with the shock." I explained, before continuing.

"It probably came from work with her. She's got some papers out on the worktop and there's no stamp on the envelope so it would either have been hand delivered to the apartment which or it was among her files were in her bag." I reasoned, having come to the conclusion that if it had been picked up from her post box downstairs, knowing my girl, the curiosity would have been too much for her to wait for her to get inside the apartment to find out what was inside.

Kate let out a hum of agreement, "I think you're right. I can't believe he would be this dumb though, they're very overt actions."

I felt a flash of irritation at her statement about James' intelligence, almost as though she didn't believe he was behind this. Raising my voice a notch, I made it clear just exactly what my instincts were telling me. "Kate, it's him, I know it is. He's just behaving like a desperate fucker. My guess is he's doing it in the office because he can hide behind the shield of family's company and thinks he can get away with it."

"Calm down Edward, there's no doubt that James is behind this. Not given what Bella's told me, and knowing what he did at Eclipse. I've never liked him…." Her assurance trailed off to a mumble and I could have sworn she'd said that her sister and James were well matched in their twisted pursuit of the opposite sex.

My biggest concern was that Bella wasn't safe in the office, and I need to have Kate keep an even closer eye on things, and even intervene if necessary. "Is there anything you can do to limit contact with him in the office Kate?"

There was a very long pause before Kate responded. "I can try to keep her out of any meetings with him, and see what we can do about me or Angela being with her more often, but it's tough Edward. She's a new Junior Editor and there are certain responsibilities and expectations that come with her role and her ability to manage herself."

"I know Kate; I just don't trust the slimy piece of crap. Anything you can do would be appreciated, maybe even giving Alistair the heads up on what his son is really like. I can't say anything because Bella's my girlfriend and I give Hunter legal representation, it's a fine line I'm walking as it is."

I understood where Kate was coming from, and the last thing I wanted to do was force Bella's career to be stunted by me wanting to protect her, although every fibre of my being screamed that her safety was far more important than any job or promotion. Irrational I know, but I'm a possessive fucker, and I would do anything to keep someone important to me unharmed.

I wasn't beyond begging if I had to, "Please Katie, she can't shoulder this on her own anymore."

Some might write off the words on the note as a bad practical joke, but the lawyer in me saw the saw the undertone of a spoiled little rich kid who would go to any lengths to get what he saw as his, whether it was an object or another human being.

"Leave it with me Edward; I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, tell Bella I said she should work from home tomorrow. I'll let you get back to her."

We said goodbye and I was just about to call Garrett when the entry buzzer sounded, announcing the arrival of our food. Granting the delivery person entry, I fired off a quick text to telling Gar that I needed to speak to him tomorrow and that it was important.

I met Mrs Li's grandson at the door, he handed over the box with our dinner in it and I slipped him a hundred dollar bill telling him to keep the change. He was about to go to college on a scholarship, but he would be studying medicine so he needed all the extra cash he could get.

Loading up the tray with our bedroom picnic, I snagged a bottle of white wine from the fridge, figuring that Bella would welcome the sleep inducing properties of a couple of glasses.

The meal was exactly what we both needed, but as was always the way with Chinese food, there was far too much, so I took care of the leftovers while Bella took a shower and got more comfortable.

It was already half past eight, so I figured I might as well lock the apartment up. There was no way I was leaving Bella alone tonight. Turning the lights off in the kitchen, I padded softly back to the bedroom figuring Bella should be all done.

Pushing the door open a little way my breath caught in my throat. Bella was sitting on the edge of her bed with one leg bent up on the comforter rubbing lotion into her long toned limb before switching to the other one. She appeared to have taken my suggestion of getting more comfortable to its most literal sense, seeing as her pajamas tonight consisted of a pair of black cotton boy shorts and a faded gray t-shirt with Smurfette on the front doing a very coy pose while her index finger was suggestively resting against her mouth.

Most men wouldn't find the sight appealing, but then again I'm not most men, and the idea of a woman like Bella being so comfortable with who she is that she'll just wear what's comfortable was a massive turn on.

Don't get me wrong, I love little scraps of lace that can be ripped off a woman's body as much as the next guy…which reminded me, I was going to talk her into a little lingerie shopping expedition very soon.

Ungghh, side-tracked!

My head was screaming all kinds of warnings as things started to get uncomfortable in my pants. My big brain said that Bella wouldn't be in that frame of mind after the day she'd had. The smaller brain in my boxers was yelling 'don't listen, she's hot and we need to be close to the pretty girl!"

Choosing to opt for safe middle ground, I let out a low whistle of appreciation before stepping into the room. Bella's eyes shot up to where I was standing, her chocolate brown orbs flashed with a hint of mirth.

"See something you like Cullen." She purred suggestively.

With a wry grin I stalked over to the bed before pinning her underneath me, "Yes, I've always had a crush on a certain blue lady."

Bella's face broke out into a wide grin as the most wonderful tinkling laugh burst forth from her lips. It was a relief to hear such a happy sound come from her that I pushed thoughts of my growing hardness to the side and shifted slightly so that I wasn't poking so obviously into her thigh.

Cradling my amazing girlfriend in my arms, amidst peppering her lips with tiny, delicate kisses I enquired; "Any objections to me sticking around till breakfast?"

"Hmmm, let me think…I think we can accommodate that request sir." And she giggled again, sending another zip or electricity straight to my cock. Why I found her giggling to be such a turn on I don't know, but it was such a wonderfully stark contrast to how things had been a couple of hours earlier, I wasn't going to question it.

"Okay sweetheart, let me just get out of my pants so that I'm still able to wear it tomorrow without looking like a shameless dirty stop out." I chuckled.

Rising from the bed, I reached down and removed my socks before straightening back up and grasping the buckle of my belt to undo it. A tiny hand reached out and stopped my actions.

"Let me do that for you." Bella whispered huskily as she bit on her bottom lip to the point that it looked like she might pierce the plump flesh. Raising herself onto her knees, one hand worked the leather and metal free at my waist, while her other hand palmed the fabric of my pants till I was painfully hard.

The button of my pants popped open and Bella stilled her ministrations against my erection while she slid the zipper of my pants open at an achingly slow pace to the point that I swear you could hear each individual click of the teeth as she dragged it down.

My hands were itching for something to do, so I settled on removing my shirt and throwing it over to the armchair where a pile of my clothing was slowly accumulating.

Bella dropped her head slightly and grazed my nipple with the tip of her tongue slowly, before ghosting her hot little mouth over to pay similar homage to the other side of my chest. The feel of her warm breath on my skin had me so hard; I thought I might internally combust.

It was the sweetest torture I've ever felt and we were barely touching.

Bella's fingers tentatively stroked at the dusting of hair that ran from my belly button down below the elastic waistband of my underwear leading straight to my groin which was threatening to mount some kind of mutiny.

I reached out and wrapped my fingers around her delicate wrist while my other hand cupped her beautiful porcelain cheek, my long fingers extending round into her hair, stroking gently.

"Bella…no…you don't have to do this…not after the day you've had..." I trailed off.

Peering up at me from underneath her thick long lashes, Bella stilled as moisture began to pool at the corners of her eyes. My thumb reached out to brush away any tears that might manage to spill over.

"I want to Edward; I need to feel close to you." She whimpered.

My grip on her arm relaxed. "Oh my love, I'll gladly give you anything you want. Only if you're certain."

Her eyes blazed at my declaration, a saucy grin played on her lips as she walked her fingers up and down my happy trail, teasing at the wisps of hair.

"Really?" She breathed coquettishly, fluttering those eyelashes for good measure. "What if I said I want you to fuck me?"

I let out an audible gulp. Had she really just said that? Did she have any idea what she was requesting? It would be rough, hard and raw, but if she was sure then I would not refuse her.

"I'd ask if you were sure that's what you want. You've had quite the day Miss Swan." I murmured tracing my thumb over the shell of her ear, holding her gaze as the challenging look in her eyes morphed into lustful desire. There was no hint of hesitation or uncertainty as she mulled over my words.

I held my breath as I waited for her response.

Her soft, calm tone broke the silence with a statement that had me almost on the floor. "Edward, I need to erase all the craptastic fuckery that's gone on today. The best way to achieve that is for you to pound into me from behind till I can feel your balls bouncing off my clit ring, and it knocks the air from my lungs. How does that sound?"

Something inside me snapped as logic and reason flew out of the window. I growled as I started tugging at her top, yanking it unceremoniously over her head and tossing it behind me, "Your wish is my command baby."

Bella's finger nails continued to make their tormenting dance across the flesh of my stomach as I grasped her behind the knees and flipped her onto her back in the middle of the bed. Kicking my pants off and shrugging out of my boxers, I raised my knee up onto the mattress and crawled towards her till she was pinned beneath me.

"Oh you're not going anywhere little lady." I whispered in her ear, my breath hot and wanting on her skin as I ground my needy length against her thigh.

Bella's moans at the action spurred me on to give her more.

Nipping at her earlobe, my hands trailed south towards those naughty little boy shorts I pondered out loud, "I really hope you're not too attached to these shorts, because they have to go."

Mutely, she shook her head. A tiny smirk played at the corner of her mouth as her eyebrow quirked in silent challenge as to which method I would employ to remove them from her plump little round ass. My hands reached round behind her giving those glorious soft fleshy cheeks a firm squeeze before I grasped at the flimsy elastic that held the cotton covering in place and tore it away from her body with a quick tug, the fabric shredding under my touch.

Bella gasped at my actions, her eyes wide with surprise. Anxiety clawed at my subconscious for what I was about to do for probably a nano-second. It was soon erased when she let out the most wanton moan I've ever heard in my life.

The sound shot straight to my cock, making it twitch with the anticipation of what was about to occur.

Placing the softest kisses against Bella's eyelids as they fluttered closed; I began my journey down her luscious body, pausing to pay homage to her warm inviting mouth. My tongue plunged between Bella's pouty lips, tangling with hers as I kissed her fiercely, hands trailing down her ribcage to knead her magnificent breasts. Her rose hued nipples tightened at my touch as I rolled the tight buds between my thumbs and index fingers, applying a little more pressure each time Bella writhed underneath me.

My hand gave the right one a sharp tug while I took the other between my teeth and firmly clamped down before pulling upwards to distend the flesh. Bella's pants and moans were getting louder and louder as my tongue flicked against the point that was clamped in my jaw.

"Oh fuck Edward…that feels amazing…harder…please." She keened while rubbing her thighs together, seeking some kind of friction as she writhed against my touches.

Switching to the other peak, I dared myself to be a little rougher...grasping more tightly, tugging a little more harshly, hoping that it gave Bella what she was looking for. I have always had a penchant for more strenuous bedroom activities, but not always had a willing participant to explore it further.

With my free hand I reached down and pumped my throbbing erection a couple of times, gripping tightly and twisting my first slightly on the upward stroke. Damn it felt good to get some resistance of my own.

Releasing my grip on Bella's breasts and raising myself up on my knees slightly, I placed hot open mouthed kisses as I greedily made my way down to her soaking wet pussy.

I'd deliberately kept my hands above waist height till this point, drawing out the blissful torment. Tonight was all about Bella and what she needed.

The air in the room was thick with the scent of Bella's arousal to the point that it made me dizzy as it invaded my senses.

As my fingers traced the puffy outer lips, I skimmed over her entrance, spreading the moisture before bringing my digits up to mouth to taste. Nectar from the gods was the only way to describe it…pure ambrosia that I could happily dine out on for an eternity.

Desperate to get my mouth in on the action, I grasped Bella's ankles and threw her legs over my shoulders before diving in to devour that fucking amazing mound. My tongue lapped at Bella's clit ring while my thumb rubbed rhythmically in tight circles around her engorged little nub, as the fingers from my other hand started to explore.

One finger slowly entering her, pumping gently before picking up pace, then adding another and starting to twist, quickly locating that spongy little spot that gets Bella swearing like a sailor when I tap it.

Bella's hands dove into my hair, her petite fingers weaving into the strands to find purchase before yanking on the strands hard as the first wave of pleasure hit her.

"Oh Jesus…fuck….that's it. Mother fucker." She yelled as her thighs locked around my neck holding me securely in place as I continued my pleasurable assault. Feeling her walls begin to flutter around my fingers, I withdrew them and thrust my tongue into her searing heat, while my fingers found her piercing and sharply tugged twice.

Bella let out a scream as she clenched and a rush of warmth flooded my tongue. I greedily lapped away at the moisture as her legs trembled, her orgasm slowly subsiding.

Extracting myself from the warm cradle of Bella's long shapely limbs, I raised myself up on my haunches so that they rested on my shoulders, I allowed my fingers to trace the delicate curve of her calves before taking hold of her ankles securely and nestling myself at her apex, my hips rocking gently to give myself a bit of relief.

Looking down at the magnificent sight of it gliding back and forth realisation hit me, "Shit, Bella I don't have a condom."

"S'okay…I've got some in the bathroom, but I'm on the shot, we're covered." She panted; eyes scrunched shut still basking in the afterglow of her release.

"Are you sure? I mean I'm clean, but it's your call." I panted as Bella's hips bucked against my excitement.

The thought of plunging into her without a latex barrier thrilled me no end. It was the ultimate connection in my eyes. One I'd never had the desire for with any other partner, not even The She Bitch. With Bella, there was no question, I wanted it, I craved that level of intimacy.

"I want you Edward, all of you, but most of all I want to feel every amazing inch of that awesome dick as it fills me to the hilt," she gritted out as I continued to work my thumb in tight circles around her throbbing little button.

I marvelled at her ability to almost replicate my thoughts, it was freaky shit, but to know that we thought along similar lines flooded my whole body with soothing balm. It allowed me the reassurance that the way we were doing this was not going to be detrimental to Bella in any way, shape or form.

As her words echoed all around me, something snapped. Grasping Bella's ankles firmly in my hands, I held them at my shoulders and leaned over her slightly, pressing down on her aching, needy pussy with my weight.

"You'd better hold on tight little kitten, this ride's about to get bumpy." I growled before repositioning my length and driving my hips forward till I was firmly seated inside her core.

Overwhelming warmth enveloped me as I stilled, eyes rolling back in my head at the sensation. A low groan came from my throat as I fought to keep control of my body. My lady had requested a fucking, and I'd be fucked if that wasn't what I was going to give her.

Underneath me, Bella started to flex her hips toward me, trying desperately to garner some kind of movement or friction to ease the ache. Her eyes blazing, gave a silent order for me to move and deliver on my promise.

"Just give me a second sweetheart." I pleaded, fearing that any sudden movement would prove too much for me without anything to dull the feeling a little. I was in sensory overload, and in massive danger of making very short work of this.

As I regained control of myself, I turned my head to the side and slowly started to place open mouthed kisses on the instep of her foot, working around to the knot of her ankle bone where my teeth grazed over it lightly.

The ache in my groin became too much to just stay still, as my hips began to rock back and forth, building up the force of my thrust to an unrelenting pace.

Bella mewled as I drove into her over and over again, my mouth never losing contact with the soft supple flesh of her toned calf till my lips met her knee, and I spread her limbs outwards, splayed at right angles allowing me to move my hands to her sides and drop my hips to go deeper.

"Oh fuck Edward, that's it." Bella cried out, her walls fluttered around me, her climax building.

The burn in my stomach flared, as I dipped my head to take one of her hardened nipples between my teeth once more. I tugged more firmly than ever as Bella writhed beneath me, her arms thrashing against the sheets as she started to lose control.

Even though there'd been assurances that this was what she needed, the caring gentle side of me that loved to just cuddle up with my girlfriend still wanted to be certain

"Is this what you wanted Bella? Me, ramming my cock into you so hard that you can barely breathe?" I panted against her breast as I continued at a relentless pace. My thighs were burning with the exertion, my arms were shaking and I could feel the perspiration building at the nape of my neck.

"Unngghhhh!" Bella moaned as I felt a rush of moisture coating me, making me crave more. I may have been a reluctant participant to begin with, but the reaction of the beautiful creature beneath me had ignited something within me and now I needed this as much as she did.

"You like me talking to you like that baby? Do my words turn you on?" I questioned as I eased myself back up onto my haunches and pressed my palms down onto her hips, pinning her to the bed. My fingers flexed against her, squeezing and clawing at the flesh.

"I fucking love your dirty mouth!" she spat as I moved my hands round and began to kneed the fleshy curve of her ass, my fingernails clawing at her as I desperately tried to slide myself deeper inside her snug haven.

Bella's breasts bounced rhythmically with the force of my motion, the view was absolutely mesmerising.

"Just like that!" She cried out as I slowed my pace a little, but maintained the depth of penetration. Our eyes locked, and it was as though I could see right into her very heart. This wasn't just about blotting out today, this was just another facet of the stunning woman I proudly called my girlfriend.

Fuck, I needed her so much. Craved her with everything I was, worshipped her with every ounce of my soul.

The primal need to claim her coursed through me as the words of her original request echoed in my brain.

"On your knees Isabella, there's a request I need to fulfil." I murmured my voice thick with the need to make her scream my name and take whatever she needed from me.

Reluctantly I broke the connection, but only for the briefest of moments as Bella scrambled to her knees and planted her hands firmly into the pillows. Her plump ass on display, just begging me to sink my teeth into it like a ripe juicy peach just plucked from the tree.

The temptation was too much to resist as I brought my face down to her soft, curvy rump and nipped lightly at it before dragging my tongue down the valley between her buttocks till I reached her drenched slit. Bella's arousal coating the tops of her thighs. The heady scent flooded my nostrils as I licked and sucked at her out lips like a man dying of thirst, my thumbs massaging the delicate crease where her butt cheeks met the tops of those lovely supple limbs.

Seeking more friction and relief Bella writhed at my touch, her orgasm building once again. Dipping two fingers from my right hand into her searing heat, I spread the moisture around, dragging my hand back to coat the path I was about before fisting my leaking manhood tightly in readiness.

"Please Edward." She begged into the comforter as I plunge back in between her silky folds, picking up the relentless pace. The tight coil in my belly building in rapidly till my balls started to tingle and tighten at the carnality of our joining.

"Touch yourself Bella. Play with those perfect plump tits, or that dainty little piercing. I don't care what you do, but you'd better do it." I commanded as I reached around and tugged on her clit ring to provide her with a little motivation.

Propping herself up on one elbow, Bella's hand snaked down, brushing her fingers over her breast, tugging hard on the tight puckered skin of her nipple, then travelled further south, plucking at the little metal halo with her thumb and forefinger, her middle finger rubbing furiously.

As I thrust deeper, I could feel my balls bouncing against Bella's fingers, the sensation of her perfectly manicured nails delicately bushing against my sensitive skin of my scrotum.

"Unghh, Christ that feels amazing." I grunted, my entire body coming alive with every touch. I was nearing the point of no return, but I was determined to take Bella with me. Looking down to witness myself gliding in and out of her didn't really help my situation as I felt the burn start to radiate out from my groin.

Leaning down and placing tiny kisses on her spine, I wound my hand into her hair, tugging on the silky strands. Bella purred at the action, bringing her arm back to rest against the bed, her back forming a concave arch as I yanked a little harder.

"So close, so close." Came her muffled chants. Her walls began to flutter, building up to a pulsing around my aching shaft.

Releasing her hair, my hand trailed down her ribcage through the light sheen of sweat that was building, reaching my arm round till my hand to cupped her mound, palming the hot swollen flesh and feeling the point where we were both joined.

"Am I giving you what you wanted baby?" I rasped, desperately clamouring for breath as I continued my unyielding assault.

"Y..y…yes Edward!" Bella cried as she began to convulse, causing another wave of moisture to coat me, dripping down onto my balls. I was right there, as that tight piece of elastic inside of me snapped and I felt myself start to throb as my orgasm burst forward.

"Cum Bella, now!" I roared. My hand spanked her pussy as I gave a final thrust and Bella shattered around me, pulsing with a force I've never felt before in my life as she gave out a final cry before she collapsed to the bed taking me with her.

Bella exhaled with a loud moan, "Unggghhhh!"

I felt like I'd run a marathon, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it gave my Bella some peace of mind in amidst all the crazy that was going on. Wrapping myself around her, I smoothed her hair out of her eyes, gently stroking her cheek with the backs of my knuckles.

"I love you Bella, I will do everything to keep you safe." I whispered against her skin as we lay in a tangled sweaty heap. "Never forget that."

BPOV:

I couldn't tell whether I was floating, or if everything had just turned to mush. I know that my request had bothered Edward at first, but he's also the kind of man that wouldn't back out of a challenge, and I played to that. I was sick of all the drama that surrounded me and to lose myself in Edward would always be the best kind of therapy.

As I nestled myself further into his embrace, I allowed my breathing to return to normal, exhaling in time to his gentle strokes against my skin. Edward's soft declarations, made with the reverence of a man who would quite possibly jump in front of a bullet for me.

"Thank you." I murmured.

Edward cupped my chin, turning my head to look at him.

"What on earth are you thanking me for sweetheart." He asked, a confused look in his eyes.

What was I supposed to say to that, there were so many things I should thank him for but it would never seem enough. He was everything to me, and I could only hope that I could be half of that to him as our relationship built.

"For loving me Edward, for giving me what I needed…no matter h..h…how ridiculous the request might be." I stammered.

Tutting quietly at my statement, Edward admonished, "Silly beautiful girl. Nothing is ridiculous if it makes you happy…and especially if it means we do things like that again!"

I giggled.

"Do you have any idea how hot that little encounter was Bella. Never…and I mean _never_ have I experienced anything like that in my life, and I'm so fucking happy that I got to have that with you." His words were reassuring, and soothed any doubt I may have had about talking him into such a frantic form of stress relief.

Holding his face in my hands, I pecked him gently on the lips before begging for entrance to his mouth with my tongue. Our kiss was long and languid with lots of tender touches and I felt Edward growing hard against my thigh once again.

"For an old man you have an impressive ability to bounce back Mr Cullen." I quipped against his mouth.

Edward shook his head, smirking. "Sweetheart, you have no idea what I'm capable of, so how about I show you. Assuming I've not worn you out already?"

And he did, another two times before we eventually cleaned ourselves up and drifted of to a peaceful slumber, wrapped tightly around each other; determined to be whatever the other needed.

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><p><strong>AN So then…who needs a lie down after that one? I could do with a very large vodka after writing it for you!**

**I'm now on Twitter so follow me vodkavamp76 to see just how my mind works (it's a bit of a shambles if I'm honest).**

**Please leave me some love because your thoughts are as wonderful as a damned good fucking from Edward *sigh*. I'd love it if you would recommend me and pimp me out to all your friends, I'm not too proud to beg you all!**

**I'm in a bit of an Armyward mood at the moment, so my rec's for this post are;**

_**Coming Home by Sarge's Girls**_

_**Oh Captain, My Captain by Kim Rathbone**_

_**Letters to a Stranger by momma2fan**_

**Thanks for reading guys!**

**Lou xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

**A****ll publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; I have however owned an epic case of writer's block that has been compounded by real life issues regarding my return to work getting in the way.**

**I can only apologise and thank all of you for your patience, and kind words of concern at the lack of update. I'm not overly happy with this chapter, to me it feels clunky and a bit thin in places, but my beta gave me the green light so I'll go with it. It's a bit of a 'filler' chapter, but there's some stuff that will help move the story on for you guys.**

**Fabulous beta services provided by momma2fan – and I promise that your change in beta style has not confused me! Big hugs to you for your constant encouragement and kindness about my writing!**

**Thank you to everyone who has read & reviewed so far, and also to everyone who have put me on alert. I try to reply to everyone but this last month has been really tough so I'm a bit behind. Special shout out to** _**beanieskeeper**_ **who is my RL friend who is supporting me – you are a fablas lady and I luffs you!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 16:<strong>

_The more you ignore me  
>The closer I get<br>You're wasting your time  
>The more you ignore me<br>The closer I get  
>You're wasting your time<em>

_**The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get**__** by Morrissey**_

**EPOV:**

I was fit for absolutely nothing. The woman was going to kill me with sex, plain and simple. I smiled as I thought back to just how hot and heavy things got last night. Despite my initial reluctance which was fuelled largely by my concern for how Bella had reacted to everything, ultimately it was her call, and I was just along for the ride!

While I wasn't averse to more strenuous sexual activities, it had been a while since I'd had a willing accomplice, or someone who got me worked up enough to want to push the boundaries a little. It got me thinking just how much kink Bella might want, and given how demanding she was…where did she draw the line?

My philosophy to life had always been 'don't knock it till you've tried it' and as such, things could potentially get very interesting for us both, but I couldn't help wonder if some of the things that I'd tried and liked might be a massive turn-off for Bella. There was no way of knowing till the moment arose – so to speak, but if her reaction to how last night had played out then I think there's likely to be more things in the 'yes' column than not.

I know she has a drawer of toys that I was itching to bust out and get down to some serious experimentation with, and at some point I was also determined that I would have her bent over my desk wearing one of those sexy as hell pencil skirts and a pair of her killer fuck me heels.

The thought of peeling that tight little skirt right off her, leaving her in just tiny little panties, stockings and her shoes, sent bolts of electricity shooting straight to my cock. Never mind what the idea of winding my hands into her soft silky locks and pulling firmly while pounding into her from behind while she was still wearing them did to me!

Feeling things starting to stir in my pants, I pushed my thoughts to the back of my head and tried to focus on the conversation I was about to have with Garrett. I needed to do something to protect the firm if things went to total shit with James, but also make sure that Hunter as a firm were still given the right representation should anything happen. The fact the two incidents yesterday had taken place in the office had me concerned. Either James was getting careless, or he was banking on the protection of his father if Bella decided to accuse him openly.

A knock at my door caught my attention.

"Come in!" I hollered.

Garrett strode into my office with a two mugs of coffee in his hand and shit eating grin on his face. Placing one cup down in front of me, he took the chair opposite my desk and stretched his legs out and then propped them up on the polished wood surface.

"Don't you go scratching my desk!" I snarled, "And since when did you start making me coffee?"

Garrett just smirked at me, "Lawyer 101 Eddie boy. Never assume. It will make an ass out of you and me!"

Taking a sip of the lovely caffeine filled elixir; I knew instantly that the drink could only have been made by one person. This wasn't the coffee from the machine in the break room; this was the good stuff that was kept hidden that only I knew about along with the person who made it for me.

Rolling my eyes at his childish mirth, I picked up my phone and dialled Siobhan. As she answered I flicked it to loudspeaker and replaced the handset.

"What do you want boy, I'm busy doing your dirty work out here?" she laughed in her soft Irish lilt, that now had a slight American twang to it after years of living here.

Trying to supress a laugh of my own, I put on my stern boss voice, "Very true, so I suggest that next time Mr Platt gets you to make coffee for him, you tell him that he has his own assistant for such trivial tasks, and that you're far too busy doing my bidding!"

A loud tut from the other end of the line followed by her mumbling something about grown men acting like children had both Garrett and I sniggering as I hung up. From the other side of the door there was a bang of a drawer and the fiery redhead shouted "Arsehole!" which could have been directed at either of us, and only made us laugh harder.

Silly moment over, I turned back to Garrett. "So about my text…you know Bella had the problem with James Hunter at Eclipse?"

"That's how you two ended up together." He nodded.

"Well, she's been having issues with him for a while. He's been giving her unwanted attention and she's tried turning him down nicely, you know…not wanting to rock the boat seeing as she works for his father. It's not stopped him though, and now he's becoming more persistent and downright frightening with his actions." I continued.

As I gave Garrett the full story of what had been happening to Bella; from the approaches in the office prior to us meeting, to the note she received yesterday I could feel myself getting angrier, and his expression was getting tighter and tighter with each new piece of information. I had no doubt that his issue was that Bella was being subjected to this kind of harassment.

"So since that night, there have been a few things happen, the first couple of things were items going missing in the office…a manuscript and some flowers from me that were removed from her desk. To an outsider you could write those things off as the cleaning crew moving things, but then a new arrangement appeared on her desk which was weird, the flowers had seriously negative meanings. Then yesterday was just a disaster of epic proportions."

As I outline every detail that Bella had relayed to me, and then what I'd found when I got into her apartment, Garrett removed his feet from my desk and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his face set in quiet interest.

"So, because Hunter Publishing is one of my clients, I'm in a difficult position. I will not do anything that goes against protecting Bella, regardless of how much money they pay us each year. If anything happens on their premises, they will be culpable as part of their duty of care towards employees, but I can't in good conscience advise them if Bella is sitting on the other side of the table." I affirm as Garrett nods in agreement.

Speaking carefully, it appears that Garrett has a solution to my dilemma, "I think we can work around it. You need to tell Alistair that you're dating one of his employees. We don't need to mention his son right now seeing as Kate is going to have a word with him about that. Should things get worse for Bella and it leads to anything then we recuse you from representation and Caius, or I will take it on. We know the Hunter family well enough and have represented them in most legal capacities."

I agree with his suggestion, but one thing still bothers me, "What if James ends up being charged with something? I mean, all the evidence apart from the CCTV footage is circumstantial or inconclusive at best."

"True, but if it goes that far then it won't be an issue either. Our duty is to Hunter Publishing and Alistair in particular, and if his 'fuck up' of a son ends up on the wrong side of the law, I will tell him personally that we won't represent him, because it goes against the best interests of Hunter Publishing."

As an afterthought he added, "Has Bella gone to the police yet?

I shook my head, "No, yesterday was tough enough on her. She's working from home today so I'm going to call her and suggest that she does contact them. They may not be able to do anything, but we've got the video as our ace in the hole, plus Emmett and Rose can vouch for his behaviour that night, so maybe we can get somewhere."

After agreeing to keep Garrett posted on any developments, he left my office and I got on with reviewing a number of files that had been waiting for my attention before Jane came to collect them. When I'd completed the pile for Jane, I flicked through the final folder which I'd been avoiding. I hated going over numbers, but as I was entering the role of Managing Partner, I needed to go over some figures that were going to be pretty important by the time my new position was going to be announced.

Satisfied with what I had reviewed, I closed the file and set it to one side of my desk. I would make sure it got back to the right person later that day. Grabbing my wallet, phone and jacket, I headed out of the door. I needed a break and something to eat, so after checking whether Siobhan wanted me to bring her anything I headed for the elevators.

Just as I was about to step into the lift, I heard someone approaching. "Edward, wait a moment!"

Turning, I saw Jane moving toward me. As she reached me, I realised why she wanted my attention. "Sorry Jane, I should have let you know that I'd done with the files. They're on my desk if you want to grab them."

"Oh, thanks. Was everything alright in them?" she asked nervously. The difference in her behaviour and work ethic since she had moved into the research role was incredible.

"It was all good Jane, I was very pleased. You'll find everything on my desk if you want to collect them now?" I suggested.

Jane smiled and turned in the direction of my office, but then quickly spun around to face me again. "Do you still have the Uley research file? It's not with the main case notes and I'm sure I gave it to you for you to cross reference with a deposition."

She was correct in her thinking; the information had been enough for me to pull together sufficient evidence that could sink Emily's ex-employer's argument that she was making it all up.

"Yes, sorry, it's on my desk. You should find what you're looking for on one side…the right I think." I said with a smile. The elevator dinged and the doors opened, so I said goodbye to Jane and hopped on so I could grab a bite to eat. I was in the mood for some protein, so sushi was the order of the day.

I decided to call Bella as I strolled up the block to grab my lunch. The phone barely had a chance before she picked up.

"Hey baby, what can I do for you?"

"Now that's a question I have many answers too BBG, but seeing as I'm out in public I'd better keep it as PG-13 as I possibly can." I quipped.

Giggles from the other end of the line, sent a tingle shooting straight to my crotch. If I could make sure that this was the only noise to slip from Bella's beautiful mouth for the rest of my days then I would die a happy man.

"I've talked to Garrett this morning about the issue with James, and where I stand because of Hunter being a client." I hedged.

"And...?" She sounded nervous.

"Bella, don't worry, this is not going to affect my work. I've covered it with Garrett and he's happy with what I've suggested. The only thing you need to know is that if anything happens you would never be on the receiving end of a Masen Platt offensive. Our duty of care to our client is to provide the soundest legal advice that is in their best interests. Their best interest would be to protect their employee and distance themselves from anything or anyone who may damage their reputation…and that includes family." I was emphatic in my speech.

There's a silence at the other end. I know Bella is not happy about the way that this problem with James is having a domino effect but I really don't care. She is, and will always be the most important thing to me, even if that means dumping Hunter as a client.

"Bella, you have to listen to me. This is getting serious. You need to talk to the police about what's happened so far. Garrett and Kate agree."

She hums, then sighs, and then sighs some more. "I know, Edward. I just don't want to do something that could jeopardize my career. It took me too long to secure the role I'm in now. I can't risk Alistair sacking me for accusing his son."

Her beseeching tone is heart-breaking. I want to tell her that I'd buy her a publishing company of her own, but that wouldn't make her happy. Feeling as though she's earned something is important to Bella and I would never want to take that away from her.

Another thing about Bella was that she wouldn't appreciate me pushing her into doing something she wasn't prepared to do. If I was going to get her to start seeing James as dangerous, it had to be under her own steam, and the best way to do that was for her to get advice from elsewhere.

"Look, how about we go on Thursday? I'll come with you." I suggested, hoping she'd be open the idea of at least talking to someone. "You don't even have to file a report, just speak to an officer and see what they recommend."

I could hear shuffling of papers and the tapping of keys at the other end, then an exhale. She was stalling because she knew my suggestion made sense. As I was waiting for her response a thought came to me, but I decided to sit on it till I'd got my answer.

"Alright Edward, we'll see what the police say, but I doubt there will be anything they can do. I've seen it before with some of the cases my dad worked on when I was younger." She admitted.

And there was the perfect opening for my next question.

"Bella, have you spoken to your father about what's been happening?"

Her silence spoke volumes; Bella hadn't said a word to him. It was absolutely crazy considering what he did for a living. Right about now, you could guarantee that she was rolling her deep chocolate brown orbs to the heavens and chewing nervously on that plump bottom lip.

"Ummmm, I kind of didn't think there was anything to bother him about." She blustered, and I could tell that she was starting to get wound up by my question. "He'd only over react and start pulling strings with one of his buddies. It would be total overkill and I wouldn't be able to move without him knowing what I was doing."

As frustrated as I was by her keeping quiet, I understood her reluctance to tell her father. It must have been tough as a teenager having a law enforcement officer as your parent, especially when you were his only child and female.

Knowing and seeing the things that Charlie Swan must have in his career had to have left him fearful of the world in which his precious little girl was going to be growing up in.

Common sense told me that digging my heels in about her telling the Chief wouldn't work, but he did need to know. The best tactic was a soft, delicate approach with a bit of gentle suggestion.

"Once we know what the police think, you should really think about telling your dad what's going on sweetheart. It will be a lot less painful if he knows now rather than further down the line if something serious happens." My tone was gentle, as though I was trying to coax a small child to take their medicine.

"I know, Edward, I'm not a total idiot. You haven't said anything I haven't already thought myself, but you don't know Charlie…he'll probably try to send me to a convent or worse still, suggest I go stay with my mother!" she whined.

I had to laugh; she sounded more like a petulant teenager who didn't like what time their curfew was.

"Well, I've been thinking that we could do with a weekend away, and there's this little provincial back-water that I've suddenly got a burning desire to visit, especially since my girlfriend always speaks so fondly of it. How do you fancy forty eight hours in the cheapest tackiest motel that Forks has to offer? I'll even throw in dinner at the diner because I'm such a swell guy!" I tried to keep things light and playful.

The last thing I wanted was to cause any friction, but I felt it was time for me to meet the man that had protected my girl this far.

"You're right, I know that." She sighed heavily, and I started to feel a little smug that she was coming around to my thinking. Sadly it was short lived when she followed up with, "You are a swell guy!"

She was playing with me; I was certain. "Sweetheart, give me a break here. You know that what I'm saying makes sense. Besides, I really think it's time I met your father, don't you?"

If arguing my way to success wasn't an option, then I wasn't above pleading or begging to get the desired result.

"Alright, if it will get you to shut up about it all for a few minutes then I'll do everything you've asked. Happy now?" She griped.

I was grinning so hard that I thought my face might split. "Good girl. How about we go weekend after next?"

"Fine, but let me tell you now, I expect nothing less than the best room The Lodge has to offer. You need to experience the true level of opulence that Forks can offer to out-of-towners." She chuckled.

"Consider it done sweetheart. I'll get Siobhan to book it as soon as I'm back in the office…and Bella…thank you for humouring me on this. I just want you to be safe."

We made arrangements for me to meet her at Hunter Publishing on Thursday after work to head to Bella's local police station and said our goodbyes.

To the casual observer my concern could be misconstrued as being overbearing, or even controlling, but I knew exactly what kind of animal James was and I didn't trust him one little bit.

I took my role as Bella's boyfriend seriously. I felt it would be remiss if I didn't because she had quickly become my life.

Any feeling of being gun-shy, and the pun was most definitely intended given Bella's father's profession, had flown clearly out of the window the first time I kissed my beautiful girl.

Since meeting Bella, I had often wondered just how I could have been so wrong with my relationship with Victoria. Not that I ever gave that vile bitch much thought specifically, but I had analysed the intrinsic details of how our relationship had worked; or didn't really work as was ultimately the case.

The only conclusions I have been able to draw from my musings have been that I could never really have loved her. What I misjudged to be love through my youthful naiveté, was actually more of a thrill that I was getting my dick wet on a regular basis without having to chase for it.

Maybe that seems a little cold…but after the shit hit the fan and the truth came out, it made me glad that I hadn't truly given my heart away.

With Bella it couldn't be more different.

She had my heart without me even realising it, although I would have freely given it to her, and anything else she wanted.

With each passing day, I found more to fall in love with. Not just the physical aspects of her beauty, but things that most men wouldn't notice in that way…like how she drums her fingers on a counter top when she's frustrated. Some guys would find that shit annoying, I think it's adorable that she channel's all that pent up energy into the extremity of her hands rather than getting snippy with me or whoever.

The fact she can eat her own bodyweight in waffles or pancakes, and she refuses to eat them without a side of crispy bacon and lashings of maple syrup, and sharing them is not an option. Her bizarre obsession with cute stationery like strangely shaped sticky notes or brightly coloured paperclips…I mean what is wrong with the kind you buy from Staples? Mind you, I'm kind of her enabler with that addiction seeing as I've spent a small fortune in Crane recently!

Walking into the Sushi bar, I placed my order at the counter and waited quietly in a corner till my food was ready. My phone chirped to alert me to a text. Pulling it out of my pocket, I saw it was from Kate. Hopefully she had some news for me after our conversation yesterday.

_Ed _- _all sorted with Alistair. He knows there's an issue but won't say anything to J unless I advise that it has gotten worse. Keep me posted on developments. Kate _

While it wasn't ideal, and I would like nothing more than for Alistair to deal with his slimy, blood sucking, good for nothing shit of a son, it was better than nothing.

Ultimately I could rest easy for a few days knowing that Bella would be taking some steps to protect herself before the end of the week, and I would be right there to support her. 

**BPOV:**

So in the space of 24 hours everything had gone to shit once again and I was more scared of James than ever, and then Edward had made it better, oh so much better than I ever could have imagined.

I'd surprised myself with just how bold I was last night, but fuck did I need it, and thankfully Edward understood that, and gave me what I wanted, what I craved.

Now, working from home for the day and talking to Edward on the phone, I had to face things I really didn't want to. I knew that he was right about talking the police about what was happening with James, but everything was still circumstantial or without witness apart from the CCTV footage from the Friday at _Eclipse_.

The footage was without sound according to Edward, and without audio there was a chance that James could twist things to suit his own agenda.

I was petrified that this was all going to blow up in my face, but there was a grain of security planted with the knowledge that I had Edward and Kate on my side. The sneaky little shit knew he'd scored a victory in me caving about going to the police, and now he wanted me to tell Charlie. Of course, I knew I couldn't avoid it for much longer, and perhaps having Edward with me as a buffer might take a bit of heat away from the interrogation I was likely to get.

Maybe I could have a little fun and let dad polish his guns and have a little 'chat' with Edward? Yes, that could serve as my own little bit of payback, even though I'm not as resistant to Edward's suggestions as he might think.

Working from home was always painfully quiet, so despite everything I was glad to be back in the office on Wednesday. A quick catch up with Kate over coffee left me feeling a little more reassured that my role wasn't going to be affected. I was a little shocked that she'd spoken directly to Alistair and that sent my mind into overdrive thinking how this could play out if James didn't back off, but I was relieved when she admitted that she'd not given any specifics, just that there was a problem that she was keeping an eye on.

Just after twelve my desk phone buzzed with an internal call. Lifting the receiver from the cradle, I answered.

"Bella Swan."

"Hi, Bella its Ruth from the front desk." The friendly professional tone of our reception manager came down the line.

Knowing I didn't have any meetings in the diary, I wasn't expecting any visitors, and Angela normally dealt with any deliveries, I replied. "Hey Ruth, what can I do for you?"

"Oh, I have a delightful lady in reception by the name of Mrs Cullen who wondered if you might be free to see her." She enquired.

In the background I could hear Esme's feminine chuckle as she lightly chastised Ruth.

"I told you dear, it's Esme. Mrs Cullen was my mother-in-law. Frightful woman, overly critical and never saw the good in anything." She bristled, although her tone was quite humorous.

Fighting to hold back my own giggle, I told Ruth to send Esme back to meet my office as I was just wrapping up an email to the author of the vampire romance that I was editing. I had been blown away by what I was reading. The author, Stephenie had come up with a concept that teenage girls would grasp hold of and run wild with…I could just feel it.

The lead male character in the book reminded me a little of my own angel. They shared such gentleman-like qualities, a stoic presence that commanded an audience, and a near desperate urge to protect. While many women might find this stifling (and had it been any other man pushing me to take steps to protect myself I might have kicked harder against it), I found Edward's slightly possessive need to keep me safe nothing short of endearing, and the closet romantic in me swooned daily.

A gentle rapping on my office door caught my attention.

"Come in!" I called.

The door opened quietly and in slipped Esme, looking the epitome of class. Her trademark DvF wrap dress (del: ,) and hair coiffed in a perfect chignon gave her an air of effortless style that would put all her peers in Seattle society to shame with their 'try too hard' personas.

"Am I disturbing you dear?" she enquired as I peered over the top of my laptop screen.

Shaking my head slowly with a smile, I clicked send on my email, "Not at all Esme, in fact I'm about ready for a break."

A broad grin spread across Esme's face at my admission, "Excellent, well allow me to take you for lunch darling, I have some things I would like to run past you about the gala."

She must have caught my slightly bewildered expression at her statement, as she went on to explain.

"This year's event is as much for Edward as it is for fundraising. It's a day that has been a long time coming, and I just wish that Ed and Liz were still here to see him take the helm. They would have been so proud." Her voice cracked at the mention of her late friends, and she reached into her purse for a tissue to dab at her damp eyes.

Knowing how close Esme and Carlisle had been to Edward's parents, it was clear that this fundraising effort was far more personal to her than previous years might have been. She took her role as Edward's mother-figure seriously and the visible pride that she displayed for his achievements was a sight to behold.

The pure joy that radiated from her at the mention of any one of her adopted children told you immediately that Esme Cullen was put on this earth to be a mother, and a little detail like lack of shared DNA wasn't ever going to stop her from fulfilling that role with everything she had.

If she felt that my input would add to the overall success of the event then who was I to object.

"That would be lovely Esme." I agreed, locking my workstation and reaching for my purse. It was the Kate Spade bag that Edward had bought me to congratulate me on my promotion, just the sight of his gift gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.

As we rode the elevator down to the ground floor, Esme told me that she had a table reserved at The W Hotel to taste menu samples for the gala, and had deliberately checked with Edward what my schedule was like today. To say that I was a little overwhelmed that she wanted my input on something as important as that would be an understatement, but if it was important to her to get this right for Edward then it was important to me too.

The ding sounded alerting us to our arrival in the lobby, and as the doors slid open we stepped off the car coming face to face with James, his mouth curved in a sly grin and he looked as though he was about to say something to me, but then his eyes shifted to my companion and he schooled his expression to one of genuine disinterest. If only!

"Mrs Cullen, it's been a long time." He greeted Esme smoothly.

Esme's eyes narrowed at James salutation and she gave him an infinitesimal nod out of polite recognition.

"I do hope you're well?" he continued, blocking our exit route from the building.

"I'm very well thank you James." She replied with disinterest, checking her watch.

James seemed keen to keep Esme talking, almost as though he wanted to prevent us from leaving. I don't know what game he was playing, but he was up to something once again. The sneer he threw in my direction was evidence of that.

"So what brings you to Hunter today? Planning on writing a best seller, eh?" he laughed loudly at his own bad humour, while I shifted uncomfortably next to Esme. I was itching to get away from him. Just being a few feet away from the man made my flesh crawl.

Through gritted teeth, Esme replied, "I came to take my son's girlfriend for lunch."

"Oh, I wasn't aware that Edward or Jasper were dating anyone." He simpered, feigning interest as he fixed his gaze on me, his eyes betraying the fact that he knew exactly which son Esme was referring to. "So judging by the fact that Bella is escorting you back to reception, I'm guessing that Kate got caught up with something."

Esme being the astute woman that she was and sensing my discomfort at being near him, didn't have time for James' bullshit either, which I was grateful for, dismissing him clearly with a parting shot, "Whoever I'm here to see isn't any of your business James, although I think you know exactly which son I'm referring to, so you can stop with the little games.

A perfectly manicured right index finger reaching out to jab James firmly in his upper left shoulder as Esme stepped a little closer to him, the timbre of her voice dropping low enough to sound threatening, "I know exactly what sort of game you're playing young man, and trust me, it's not one that will end well for you. I suggest you cease now, or perhaps I'll have a little word with your father. I'm sure he'd be delighted to hear just what kind of weasel his son and heir has turned into. Now if you will excuse us, we have a reservation."

With that, she sidestepped him, and led me by the hand out of the building into the bright sunshine. As the warmth hit my face, I felt the calm returning to me.

"Thank you Esme, I can't imagine what it might have been like if I'd run into him on my own." I whispered as we headed across the street to walk the couple of blocks to the hotel.

Squeezing my hand tightly and pulling me to her side, Esme turned to look at me while we walked. "Darling, you are so important to Edward, and by default important to the rest of us. I'll be blown away if that little leech was to have the upper hand."

Giggling at Esme's clear dislike for James, I nodded and we continued on our way, chatting idly as we wandered up the street towards the hotel.

I had never been in the Seattle W hotel before, but walking into the lobby of the hotel, I understood what Esme and Alice meant about having something a little different. This was a much more modern and edgy venue and perfect for Masen Platt to welcome in a new era with Edward driving the firm forward alongside Garrett.

While I took in the sleek contemporary design oozed with unadulterated luxury, Esme announced our arrival to the hotel manager who escorted us to the second floor to view the function facilities that had been reserved before we were shown to one of the ante rooms for the menu tasting.

The hotel had gone all out just for the two of us. One of the round tables that would be used for the gala had been set up with crisp white linens, gleaming silverware, fine white china with a delicate silver band around the rim and the crystal-ware was perfectly polished, allowing the light from the huge floor to ceiling windows to bounce off and reflect onto the walls creating almost a mirror-ball effect.

Once we were seated, the Events Manager went to arrange for the sample dishes to be brought out.

Esme smiled at me as she placed her napkin in her lap and took a dainty sip of her water, "I'm so delighted that you could join me. I know we'd planned to have lunch, but I really want your input on the menu for Edward's special night."

Offering her a shy smile in acknowledgement, "You're more than welcome Esme; I just hope I can be of some use to you. I have no experience when it comes to event organising."

"Oh shush child." She chided with a wink, "You are the perfect person for this task, I want the menu to reflect Edward and I think right now you probably know him better than even his own sister."

"If you're sure then I'll give it my best shot." I assured her as the staff carried in trays with our choices for the first course.

As we surveyed the options that were presented in fine white china soup plates, Esme and I both screwed our faces up at what was offered. It wasn't that there was something wrong as such, in fact they were some of the most delicious fragranced broths I had ever smelled, but I suspected that our thinking was pretty similar on this subject.

We politely tasted all four soups that were in front of us, a couple of them more than once.

Sighing softly Esme looked at me, "As great as the asparagus and parmesan one is, I just don't think that soup is the way to go."

Nodding at her conclusion, "I agree, especially as guests will fill up on bread if the first course is soup. It doesn't matter what the menu is like, if the rolls are as tasty as the soup then the guests will be main-lining carbs till they're all bloated, and women in slinky dresses will not thank us for that!"

"Yes, that's quite a good point Bella, not to mention that a liquid appetizer could get a little messy. Why don't we see what comes next before we start discussing other options with the chef."

With the next round of dishes that were brought out, I made a shocking discovery. Turns out that a salad can be a thing of beauty, if not a little bit sexy! Those tiny plates of crisp vegetables with luxurious dressings were mouth-wateringly amazing, and I would quite happily have eaten them all, but ultimately the choice was a no-brainer in mine and Esme's eyes.

The entrees were a totally different ball game, each dish was absolutely sublime and it was impossible to pin it down to one choice.

"Esme, I know this type of event normally offers a set menu, but what if the guests were given a choice between the beef, the salmon or the wild mushroom risotto on the night?" I queried.

A broad smile spread across Esme's face once again as she clapped her hands together gleefully.

"Bella dear, I knew there was a reason I wanted you involved with the menu. If we're going

to ring in the new era of Edward at the helm then we should mix it up a little." She paused before adding, "Things have always been a bit safe and if I might add stuffy because of the crowd that this type of thing attracts, but this time we're going to make this something Elizabeth would have wanted for her boy!"

I laughed out loud at her enthusiasm for the event and the love that shone through for Edward and the man he had become.

Another thirty minutes later we had sampled the deserts and nailed down the final choice. The chef agreed with us about soup being a bad idea for the first course and when Esme explained the importance of the evening not just in terms of fundraising, but for the changes that were coming he agreed to go away and come up with something that would be fitting for the event.

On our return walk to the Hunter building, I needed to ask Esme about something that had been niggling me since we sat down to eat.

Halting our walk for a moment, I turned to her. "Esme, can I ask you about something you said over lunch?"

Looking concerned at the seriousness of my tone, she offered me a gentle squeeze of her hand, "Of course Bella, you can ask me anything you like."

"Well, it's just a number of times you've mentioned Edward taking the helm, and I know that him being announced as a managing partner for the firm is a massive thing, but why do you talk of him taking the helm when the firm is a partnership?" I enquired.

Taking my hand and guiding me to a bench, Esme sighed and then spoke.

"My dear girl, Edward will be taking the helm, my words were correct. Edward talks about owning half the company because the firm has always been run as a partnership between my father and his grandfather, but in terms of financial ownership that's not actually the case. Edward cares so little about the financial side of it that I think he forgets sometimes."

My mind raced with questions. How could Edward not have told me the full story? Why did he not tell me this when we were at brunch with his family? Did he not trust me with the enormity of the secret they were keeping for now?

I must have looked incredibly confused as Esme continued.

"My father's move to Seattle came at the point where he was due to make partner in Chicago, so Anthony suggested they expand the firm and go into partnership together but my father didn't have much money to invest for setting up the new office. Anthony came up with a plan that allowed him to invest gradually building up from a ten percent stake to a forty percent holding which Gar and I inherited. So you see my child, Edward really will be taking the helm when he's named managing partner in August."

Shaking my head slightly I looked at Esme and nodded at her explanation. I still felt a little uneasy about it but it wasn't an issue. It didn't matter how much of the firm Edward owned, I fell in love with him before I knew who he truly was. The unease was more around people who might see me as a gold digging nobody.

Edward's wealth and the wealth of his family were of no consequence to me, but the rest of Seattle society might not see it that way, and I'd get to meet plenty of them at the gala in August. At least I had a little time to prepare myself for it though.

Taking a deep breath I finally spoke to Esme. "Well, I guess Emmett was right about one thing."

"What's that dear?" she enquired.

"Eleazar Denali is definitely going to shit a proverbial brick when Edward makes his speech." I quipped.

The unladylike cackle that erupted from Esme's perfectly glossed mouth at my words removed any tension that might have remained from the last few minutes.

"Oh Bella, Emmett certainly has a way with words, but he is often very insightful. Now shall we get you back to the office before that ghastly Hunter boy can give you any grief about time keeping or have any other petty excuse to bait you?" She suggested.

Five minutes later I was back at my desk and checking emails. I'd been gone from the office for nearly two hours, but it wasn't an issue, Kate firmly believed in letting me manage my own time.

Angela stuck her head round the door an hour later. "Hey Bella, I've got a coffee for you and some post that came in late today."

"Thanks Angie." I got up from my desk and went to meet her at the door to collect everything. She might be my assistant, but I didn't expect her to wait on me hand and foot.

As I took the pile of envelopes from her along with the mug of coffee, she added "Oh, I almost forgot. Mr Creepy was asking if you were back from lunch when I saw him in the break room. I suggested that if he wanted to see you then he should book an appointment like everyone else!"

Let me tell you, almost snorting a hot drink through your nostrils is neither a good idea, nor a very elegant activity, but at hearing Angela's thinly veiled sarcasm at James' question I couldn't help it.

"What did he say to that?"

With a wry smile she quirked one of her eyebrows, "Absolutely nothing, just sloped off grumbling about women needing to learn their place, the chauvinistic pig!"

The last thing I wanted was for Angela to start getting grief from James as well. "Just watch yourself around him Angie."

"I will Bella, but you need to watch him too. He's getting more brazen in his attention I think."

Walking back to my desk and setting the pile of mail down ready to start going through it, I looked back at Angela. "Edward and I are going to talk to the police tomorrow after work."

"Good, they might be able to help." She smiled before heading back out to her desk.

The first package in the pile was a large padded mail pouch which felt like it had a book or something solid in it. Tearing the opening strip off, I pulled the contents out. It was a crisp white box tied with a black ribbon that looked like gift packaging from a store, but it wasn't anything I recognized.

Pulling on the bow to open it up, I wondered if it might be a present from one of the authors I'd been working with. As I lifted the lid my curiosity piqued even further as the package had been hand delivered. Could it be from Edward perhaps?

Soft black tissue paper concealed the mysterious contents of the box, but as I peeled back the layers my curiosity quickly turned to horror as I revealed what was underneath.

Fighting the urge to be sick, I reached for my phone and punched in the familiar numbers and anxiously waited for someone to pick up at the other end.

When they finally did I managed to gasp out, "I need Edward, now!"

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><p><strong>AN Oh no, I did it again with the cliffie! All will be revealed next chapter my lovely followers, I promise you that.**

**So what do you think was in the box, and where do you think it came from?**

**Next update will probably be in 2 weeks, although I'm on holiday from next Saturday and plan to get a good chunk of writing done while I'm away as there will be fewer distractions.**

**Story recs for this chapter are;**

**The Loving Kind by Thimbles**

**Unlock Your Heart by momma2fan (shameless plug I know!)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A****ll publicly recognized characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own a great recipe for chocolate brownies!**

**There are no words to express how sorry I am for the delay there has been in getting this chapter to you. Real life conspired against me in so many ways which led to a crippling case of writers block. **

**My thanks go to ****momma2fan for beta'ing this chapter for me. Liz – you've been amazingly patient with me and hugely encouraging about the writers block I've been trying to overcome. Fingers crossed there won't be such a huge delay with the next one getting to you!**

**Also thanks to Beanieskeeper, my friend in RL who has kept me sane over the last 8 months when everything was going to crap – you're one in a million chick and I luffs you!**

**OK, so on with the show. It's a bit of a filler, but I wanted to get something out there for you rather than keep you all in suspenders any longer! No song to accompany this one (just couldn't find anything that fit).**

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><p><span><strong><strong>

**CHAPTER 17:**

**EPOV:**

The call with Alistair Hunter had gone a whole lot better than I had anticipated. When I explained about my relationship with his newest Junior Editor he'd just chuckled before telling me that his wife would be over the moon to hear that I'd found someone as lovely as Bella.

His statement surprised me greatly. I knew Alistair very well in a professional sense, and had met his wife on a number of occasions but I had no idea that she held me in any particular regard. Alistair was quick to clarify that Makenna had overheard talk from Carmen Denali at a number of lunches that her daughter was serious about the promising young Cullen boy who was almost certain to be joining Denali Law within the year.

I couldn't have been more mortified when he imparted that nugget to me. I had no idea that my non-existent relationship with Tanya had been the subject of many a society gossip session over lunchtime mimosas and Caesar salad.

As I sought to assure Alistair that I wasn't going anywhere, he laughed heartily before telling me that he knew that my family loyalty was more important than diving head first into a tank full of sharks. Alistair couldn't wait to see the look on the Denali family's face when they realized that their little fantasy was never going to happen.

At this point I suggested to him that perhaps he should buy a table for gala if he really wanted to see their reaction, because it would become abundantly clear to them then. Alistair chuckled and said that he and Makenna had already decided that they would be attending and that Hunter publishing had also purchased three tables for staff and clients to attend.

Rather than being elitist and only allowing senior staff like a lot of firms that attended our event, they were planning to run an internal lottery of sorts so that everyone had a chance to support the event. Staff would be able to nominate colleagues and the board would consider all the nominations then select the twelve most deserving candidates to attend.

We talked some more about the gala and what was planned. Alistair said he was going to put his thinking cap on to see what he could come up with to donate to the silent auction. I had always liked Alistair, but felt truly honored that he was willing to support The Masen Platt Foundation so much.

As I marveled over the conversation, the door to my office flew open causing a load bang to resonate off the walls with the force used by Siobhan as she rushed into the room.

"Edward, pick up line two, Bella's holding and she sounds upset!" She barked.

One look at my secretary's face told me all I needed to know. Something else had happened.

Grabbing the receiver from the cradle, I punched line two so I could calm my baby girl down and find out what had happened to make her call me sounding so frantic, but the line was dead, she wasn't there.

Before Siobhan had time to register what was happening, I was up out of my chair swiping my jacket from the coat stand, and heading for the open door.

"Call Hunter and tell him to clear his diary!" I yelled over my shoulder, before bellowing even louder as I stormed past Garrett and Caius who were deep in conversation in the corridor, ""I won't accept any excuses, he will see me!"

Out on the street, I couldn't flag down a cab for love nor money, but then again it was early afternoon and just about every professional who had imbibed during their expensive lunch meetings was now travelling to their next destination. A massive inconvenience for me, and I cursed whoever might have been listening to that effect.

With no other option, I turned on my heel and started to sprint in the direction of Hunter Publishing. The Gucci suit I was wearing certainly wasn't the ideal running gear, but if I wanted to get to my girl then that was just the way it was going to have to be.

I was about halfway to Bella's office when I remembered that the note and the CCTV footage were bagged and in the safe in my office. Slowing to a walk momentarily, I dialed Garrett. I was still trying to catch my breath when he answered.

"Ed, where the hell are you? Siobhan said something important had come up."

Cutting him off I told him all he needed to know, "Gar, I need you to get the DVD and note from my safe and get them to Hunter Publishing in the next half hour. Something's happened with Bella and Alistair needs to know exactly what's been going on. I'll explain more later."

Ending the call quickly I continued my journey towards Bella.

Ten minutes later I was stepping off the elevator, slightly fearful of what I might find when I got to my girl, and a little out of breath too. Hunter's receptionist attempted to stop me from just walking straight onto the floor but I was in no mood for delays, and maybe I was a little rude when I told her I knew where I was going so I didn't need her assistance, but I was on a mission. There would be time for apologies later once I'd made sure Bella was alright.

Striding down the floor towards the corner of the office where Kate and Bella worked, Angela was just walking out of the copy room as I rounded a bank of admin desks.

"Angela, is Bella in her office?" I asked hurriedly.

Looking up from the pile of papers in her hands, the expression of surprise on her face at me being there to see Bella was evident.

"She should be Edward; she's not long been back from lunch with your mom." She answered with a touch of confusion.

Striding past her with a quick nod, I shouted thanks to her over my shoulder.

You'd have thought the building was about to burn down the way I burst through the oak paneled door of Bella's office, my eyes homing in on her empty office chair. Frustration and worry flooded through me as I tried to figure out where she might be as I scanned the rest of the room. Taking in the sparse furnishings, the space was yet to be truly personalized by Bella except for the overflowing book case against one wall and a few trinkets on the large oak desk.

Nothing looked out of the ordinary to me.

It didn't make sense.

Where was she?

Just as a I made to head back out of the door to see whether she was in Kate's office a gut wrenching howl tore through the silence of the of the room.

She was here! 

**BPOV:**

Curled up tightly, wedged into the space underneath my desk, I hid. From what I wasn't sure, but I just wanted to feel safe. It wasn't like the contents of the box would hurt me in any way, yet the item that nestled among the delicate black tissue paper filled me with fear and revulsion.

Here in the confines of the small wooden space, I felt protected.

Alone in the silence, I tried to absorb just what had been lurking beneath the seemingly innocuous smooth white box lid. My solitude was abruptly shattered when the door to my office burst open and heavy footsteps made their way into the room.

I held my breath, fighting not to make a sound or move a muscle. Not knowing who had come into the room only served to heighten my anxiety, and as their heavy breaths permeated the silence my mind raced, trying to figure out who would come into my office with such force, and without knocking. All I could hear in my head was that James was coming for me. The note inside the box already told me that he was going to make another move; I just hadn't anticipated any action from him so soon.

As this thought permeated my mind, I found myself no longer able to hold in the fear that was threatening to bubble over. The tears spilled down my cheeks as I shook…a loud sob escaping from my lips as I anticipated what might happen next.

Heavy footsteps advanced into the room stopping to the right hand side of my desk.

Warm fingers gripped around my wrist trying to pull me out from my safe haven. I curled in on myself even more, bracing for whatever might happen next, but nothing happened…instead the grip relaxed and fingers began to stroke gentle circles on the inside of my arm.

"Shh, it's ok Bella, I'm here." The velvet tones of my angel cooed at my ear.

Edward! What was he doing here?

"Don't worry sweetheart, I've got you." He whispers, and instantly I am soothed. His strong hand pulls gently as I slide towards his bent figure, and I allow myself to be wrapped in the warmth of his embrace.

Somehow Edward managed to maneuver us till he's sitting in my office chair and I'm curled up on his lap. All I can hear is his murmured of my safety, and how worried he'd been that I wasn't on the line when he picked up the phone. I vaguely remember dialing his number, speaking to Siobhan, and her putting me on hold, but things get fuzzy from that point.

Then everything comes flooding back to me…the box on my desk, the contents which I had at first thought might be from my sweet, loving boyfriend, and the revulsion I felt when I took a closer look and read the accompanying note.

I stiffen at the recollection which prompts Edward to question "What is it beautiful? Tell me."

"The box on my desk," I manage to squeak out.

I cringe as he reaches over to the innocent looking box and lifts the lid to inspect the contents. I hear the rustle of the tissue paper and know that he's realized what's concealed beneath it when he growls "Motherfucker!"

Oh hell, now he's angry. I know it's not directed at me, I've done nothing to encourage this attention. I do however know my man and he'll not take this lying down. I can say with one hundred percent certainty that the gift is not from him, he would never have sent me something like that. He knows full well that it's not the sort of thing I would appreciate being sent to my place of work.

I can feel the tension rolling off him in waves as he tries desperately to get himself under control but he's failing, and that will be bothering him. My suspicion is proved correct when he stands awkwardly with me in his arms and then deposits me back into the soft leather of my chair.

Raking his hand through his already well tugged at hair, he strides across the office and out of the door. I can hear him talking to someone just outside the door, who I can only assume is either Angela or Kate.

Seconds later he was back and kneeling at my side. His strong hands cradled my face as he whispered gently to me;

"Bella…sweetheart…you're going to have to get up. I know you've had a shock, but it's time for Alistair to know what's been going on with his douchebag son's crazy assed games."

I cringed at the thought of having to tell Alistair what's been going on. My hope had been that we could have gone to the police after work as planned and filed a restraining order or had an officer tell him to back off. Oh crap, after today I'm going to have to tell Charlie, too. Bang goes my plan of telling him once everything had been dealt with.

Reluctantly, I acquiesced and took the extended hand to pull myself upright. Excusing myself to go to the bathroom, which thankfully there was one at our end of the floor rather than me having to walk through the entire office for all to see. Under the stark lighting of the marble wash-room, I took a moment to straighten out my clothing and splash some water on my face in the hopes that I wouldn't look like the blubbering mess that I really was.

A couple of deep breaths helped to calm me some more, before it was time to go face the music.

Edward was standing outside my office talking to Angela and Kate quietly as I approached them. Their conversation stalled as they realized I had joined them. They gave nothing away about what they were discussing, but you could bet your ass it was to do with what was going on. Lord knows what was going to go down in the boardroom with Alistair Hunter, but I had a feeling that by the end of this I was going to be out of a job and my career would be in ruins.

There was just no way that the owner for the company was going to believe that his own flesh and blood was behind my torment, even with proof from the bar. James was heir to the throne, his reputation among most of the firm was that he was 'the golden boy' and that the only reason he was working in Acquisitions was so that it didn't look like he had the company handed to him on a platter when his father retired. He was also a slippery fish who had could talk his way out of anything he didn't want to do, so why would this be any different.

Doing my best to let Edward think that I'm going to be okay, I plaster a bright smile on my face before announcing. "I'm ready. Let's get this over with."

Edward reached for my hand and grasped it firmly as he held my gaze. "It's going to be alright, Sweetheart, I promise. (del: it will be fine.) Just try to hold it together in there, stick to the facts of what has happened."

I nodded before he continued to speak. "I will have to sit on the opposite side of the table to you because I'm still retained counsel for the firm, but please just trust me."

We reached the doors to the boardroom in no time at all, having garnered a number of quizzical looks from the usual harpies who would no doubt have formed their own versions of what was going on in their minds. No doubt I would be the subject of their dramatic fantasies that became the 'office gossip' by the time they left for the evening.

I had no idea what was going to happen in that room, but I had to trust that my man wouldn't be against me, even if he was sitting on the other side of the enormous expanse of mahogany. Edward pushed on the heavy wooden door and held it open for me to step inside. Alistair was already seated at the head of the table with Garrett sitting to his left. Edward stepped in behind me and made his way to where Garrett was seated and took the empty space next to him. The two men put their heads together, conferring quietly but somewhat animatedly before Garrett slid a large brown envelope toward Edward.

I felt a presence beside me and realized that Kate had joined the meeting, her hand touching my arm gently to break me from the trance I'd slipped into. I felt a little more reassured that she would be there supporting me.

"Bella, would you please take a seat. It would seem that we have something to discuss." Alistair stated; his tone and expression giving away absolutely nothing in terms of how this meeting might go.

I wanted nothing more to tell him that it didn't matter, that nothing of any note had happened, but I was committed now and there was no turning back. 

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><p><strong><strong>

**A/N: So there you go, still no wiser about the contents of the box, but our dashing hero clearly ain't impressed. Wonder what Alistair's going to say?**

**Answers on a postcard peeps, because you know how much I love to hear what you're thinking.**

**See you soon, Lou xx**


	18. Chapter 18

**All publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do own an extremely battered and bruised looking laptop that willingly takes anything I seem to throw at it (or drop it on).**

**Well folks, what can I say…I'm back (yeah, yeah, I can already hear you groaning…"she said that last time, and then left us hanging!"). I'm not going to even make any excuses, you all know what real life and writers block can do to you. All I can say, is that over the festive break my creative thoughts seemed to get back on track, and the ideas just kept coming, which made it possible for me to finally get this chapter brought to a fitting conclusion.**

**My thanks go to momma2fan for providing beta'ing this chapter for me, she's been amazingly patient with me 'going dark' over the last 6 months (yes, it really has been that long!).**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 18: <strong>

**EPOV:**

As I sat watching my beloved girl sleep after yet another chaotic day, I couldn't help but reflect on everything that had happened since I'd arrived at Hunter Publishing and how some of it had been totally unexpected.

It still pained me to recall the slightly hurt and confused look on Bella's face as I took my place next to Garrett in the board room, even though I'd warned her this was where I would need to be, it was as though she'd forgotten everything else I'd said about trusting me.

_Leaning in to catch up with Garrett and find out exactly why he was here, he cut me off with a quiet murmur. "Don't panic Ed, I figured it would be a good move to bring the things from your safe personally and to take over advising Alistair on this one, because quite frankly that dumb shit he calls his son just bit off way more than he can chew."_

"_I hope you're right Gar." I sighed._

_Looking me square in the eyes he continued, "Trust me Ed, you take a back seat on this one and let me lead. With all the incidents that have happened, even if some of it is inadmissible in court, as Bella's employer he has to take reasonable steps to ensure her safety in the workplace. You know this."_

_I knew what he was telling me was true, but I'd seen enough companies try to cover their own asses first and worry about their employees last._

_Our discussion was interrupted by Alistair clearing his throat and starting the meeting. As Bella placed herself in the seat opposite me I tried to give her a look of reassurance, but she seemed to shrink into the seat looking tinier than she normally did. I wanted to climb over the mahogany table and take her in my arms. I wanted to tell her that I was going to fix it all for her and that she'd never have to be near that asswipe ever again, but at this stage I just couldn't. _

_Instead, I had to trust that Garrett was going to pull an absolute blinder with the way he handled this meeting and pray that Alistair would listen to what he was told and act accordingly._

"_Would someone like to bring me up to speed as to why we're meeting here today? I'm assuming it's related to what you briefed me about earlier this week, Kate?" Alistair inquired, his brow furrowed in a mixture of concern and confusion._

_Kate turned to look at Alistair and nodded, her jaw set firm. Only a tiny little twitch in her expression gave away just how pissed she was. She was Bella's mentor and the fact that she's not been able to protect her in the workplace from all this creepy fuckery was starting to take its toll on her._

_From beside her, Bella took a deep breath before speaking in a voice that was barely audible in the huge conference room. "Sir, I suppose I should start from the beginning."_

_And so she did. Bella told him how James had been pursuing her for months, making subtle comments to her in the office, making her feel uncomfortable. How despite her telling him that she wasn't interested he had refused to listen. Everything spilled out across polished wood of the boardroom table from the night at Eclipse where he'd basically attacked her in the hallway and I'd stepped in, to the strange things that had happened since—like the missing manuscript and the butchered flowers and the note that she'd found in her work papers the day she went home._

_Alistair sat back in the plush leather chair at the head of the table and listened intently to every word that Bella told him, yet his expression remained completely impassive._

"_So, what is it that's forced us all to congregate today?" He questioned._

_Bella opened her mouth to continue the story and tell him about the box, but was stopped by Kate placing her hand gently over Bella's and giving it a gentle squeeze, before sliding the box that had been delivered to Bella today across the desk towards Alistair._

"_I think it would be better if you saw for yourself, Alistair, because this can't go on any longer." She sighed._

_A small gasp escaped from Bella's lips and the colour instantly drained from her face at the sight of the box. Being seated on the other side of the table was killing me. I wanted to be the one to stop this from happening to her, I needed to keep her safe, but I had to follow Garrett's lead on this. _

_In a way I should be thankful that I had been allowed to sit in the room in the first place. The conflict of interest was glaringly obvious, but we had to show Alistair that while loyalties may be divided, our legal counsel would never be called into question with the advice we gave._

_As Alistair lifted the lid on the box and inspected the contents, his face finally gave away some emotion...disgust._

_Turning his head to face me slightly, he spoke with an almost eerie calmness, "I'm assuming that you weren't the sender of this inappropriate gift, Edward?"_

_Thinking about it later I could understand why he had to ask me that question, but at the time I had to fight back the revulsion that I felt. Inside that box was nothing I would ever dream of buying my darling girl, she had far too much class for the tasteless item contained inside the deceptively elegant gift packaging._

"_No, Sir, while I'm quite partial to surprising Bella with gifts and trinkets, I would never be as base as to send her such a vulgar and quite frankly, cheap item to her place of work." I growled__out in reference to the 'stop sign red' pair of lace, crotch-less panties that were concealed within the thick cardboard walls and delicate tissue paper wrapping. _

_The irony was, I was planning on taking Bella on a lingerie shopping trip soon, but my preference for venue would be a little more upscale, something along the lines of La Perla, or maybe Agent Provocateur (as I'm sure Bella's was too). Nope, there was no way I would buy my beautiful girl something that made her look like an extra from Debbie Does Dallas. _

_Pausing for a moment, Alistair finally delivered his verdict on everything he'd seen and heard during the meeting._

"_Bella, I understand why you are finding all of this upsetting. In fact, I'm surprised that there has been no visible impact of these events on the quality of your work." He stated honestly._

"_The things you've been experiencing, nobody should have to endure in any setting, never mind when it invades their place of work. I have a duty toward you that I take very seriously, and I want you to feel safe while you're in my employ, but I also have a duty to my family, too. What I'm going to say next you may or may not be happy with so please, just let me say it without interruption from anyone."_

_I watched as Bella visibly shrank back into the chair, her shoulders slumped in visible defeat, no doubt mentally preparing herself for Alistair to defend James. If he covered that little slime balls ass, there was no way that I was going to allow Masen Platt to continue representing Hunter Publishing. _

_Hell, I'd empty my trust fund and pump it into the business to cover any lost revenue if I had to._

_I was busted out of my self righteous internal monologue as Alistair began to deliver his final view on things._

"_What I've heard today gives me great cause for concern, and I don't doubt for one minute that Bella is the recipient of some greatly unwanted attention, but apart from a few encounters where she has turned down my son's advances, there is nothing to suggest that he is the person behind these other incidents."_

_What the fuck? He's going to let him get away with it._

"_However, I am in no way defending James. What I would like to see is for this to be managed through the proper channels. Bella, I think you need to talk to the authorities about what has happened. Give them all the evidence you have and let them look into it. _

_Hunter Publishing will give full co-operation to any investigation that the police conduct. For now, I need to remain impartial on the matter so I shall not be discussing the conversation that's taken place inside this room with anyone, including my own family." He concluded._

_The rest of us in the room let out an audible sigh. The tension that had descended upon us when Alistair had begun to speak started to dissipate._

_Bella thanked Alistair for being so fair given that she was accusing his son, which he brushed off quickly saying that he knew his son was no saint, but that to get to the bottom of this there needed to be some due process. He then gave her the rest of the day off to visit the police station and file a report._

_While Bella went to lock up her workstation and gather her things for us to head over to the nearest precinct, I hung back with Garrett to close things off with Alistair._

"_Alistair, I'm sure you're a little bit twitchy about potential conflict of interest knowing that Bella and I are dating." I started to speak but was quickly cut off._

"_My dear boy, do you really think that if I was worried about impartiality you would have still been in the room during that conversation? Hell no! I'd have told Garrett to kick your ass out the door and off my account quicker than you could have blinked." He chuckled._

_I appeared to be having another 'what the fuck?' moment, because my mouth just kept opening and closing, and trust me, being rendered speechless when you're a lawyer could severely limit your career._

_Garrett slapped me on the shoulder to pull me out of my stupor as Alistair continued._

"_I know that I may need your advice on how we handle this issue moving forward, but I know that you boys will handle the situation with my company's best interests at heart, and that the advice you provide will guide me correctly within the eyes of the law. No doubt my own HR team will need to be involved at some point. There is no way I will allow my business to be damaged by any of this, which is why I told Bella to speak with the authorities, rather than handling everything internally"_

_I nodded in understanding of where the man was coming from._

"_Should you need Masen Platt to provide legal support during this then we will ensure that you're fully covered for advisory services and for any formal representation on the matter, it will be handled by the best in my team." I assured Alistair. I may not like his son, but this man wasn't just a client to me, he was a friend and I would try to ensure that we steered him correctly if all of this blew up in his face._

_Garrett went on to assure Alistair that he would work with me to hand pick the best we had to support on any issues while this was being investigated, and that if it was easier, we'd do things on a retainer basis rather than billing him by the hour. The last bit was thrown in quite cheekily, which finally gave the older man something to laugh at, but he also saw the sense in the suggestion so happily agreed._

_We concluded our conversation, and I headed off to find my girl so that we could finally get this looked into properly._

Thinking about all the events of the day had left me exhausted, so Lord knows what it had done to my beautiful girl. We were spending the night at her place because I felt she needed to be surrounded by her own things. Yes, she had started to leave some bits and pieces at my apartment, but something just told me she needed to be here, with what was most familiar.

**BPOV:**

Walking into the office the next morning, I wasn't sure what was waiting for me. Would James be lying in wait for me the moment I stepped off the elevator? Would word have spread around the office about what had gone down yesterday in the board room? Would my colleagues still be speaking to me if the shit had truly hit the fan? Ultimately, I'd ratted out the boss's son to his own father, and some in the office would either think I was insane or trying to end my career early by causing waves this big.

My conscience was clear though. I did what I had to do because if I didn't stand up to James before things got completely out of hand, who knows what would happen next. The officer who took my statement at the station was sympathetic to the situation, and went on to assure me that I wasn't the first person to come to them with concerns of this nature about a work colleague. The only difference for me was that I was accusing a relative of my employer which meant that things needed to be handled a little more carefully in regards to filing a complaint.

With Edward by my side, I was able to tell the story without faltering. The officer was concerned that a number of the incidents could be viewed as circumstantial at best, although that soon changed when Edward produced the envelope containing all the evidence that had accumulated over the last month. As we left the station the sense of relief I felt was unbelievable, although it was still tinged with the lingering trepidation about what was going to happen next. The police would be examining the evidence and then conducting further enquiries, and they had urged me to file for a restraining order which Edward was going to get another department at Masen Platt to handle.

Edward had drilled in to my head that I had done nothing wrong, and that if anyone had an issue with the course of action I'd taken then that was their problem. I knew his words held nothing but the truth, to a certain extent, but I was still leery of what the fallout might be.

"Deep breaths," I whispered to myself, seeing as the mental pep talk didn't seem to have helped much.

Thankfully, there weren't many of my colleagues in the building yet, so I was able to make it to the sanctuary of my office without any reason to stop. I'd picked up a latte from the coffee shop across the street so that I could avoid having to go anywhere near the break room. I didn't want to run the risk of being cornered by James once again. I was pretty certain that by now he would know that I'd gone to the police and it was most likely going to result in one of two outcomes. It would either mean he finally backed off and left me alone, or he'd be so pissed that he would hound me even further.

Knowing how twisted things had been getting and in spite of the assurances that the police were going to be investigating things, I couldn't quell the sense of dread that had settled into the pit of my stomach.

Settling myself behind my desk, my eyes zeroed in on my phone. Before leaving the apartment this morning I had promised Edward that I would finally call my dad and tell him what had been happening. Yeah, that was a call I was just itching to make, but I'd given Edward my word that I would speak to Charlie in case he might be able to pull some strings on his end to get some traction on the investigation.

My fingers shook as I dialed the all too familiar numbers and waited for it to ring. Charlie must have been sitting right on the phone as the first ring had barely finished when the call connected.

"Bells? What's with calling me so early in the morning?" As usual my Dad got straight to the point.

Sighing deeply, I started to explain everything that had been happening. The words just spewed forth from my mouth like molten lava from the top of a volcano. While I'm not someone who would normally keep secrets from my father, this sorry tale of woe was not something that I was willingly telling him, yet by the time I finished I felt somehow cleansed.

The other end of the line was deathly quiet once I ceased my monologue.

"Dad? Are you still there? Please, say something." I pleaded while trying not to burst into tears.

A tired sounding sigh came from the other end, and for a brief moment I thought he was about to rip into me for keeping him in the dark over everything. Then he spoke. "Bella, do you need me to come down there?"

Okay, not what I expected, but I could work with that.

"No, Daddy, we're going to come and visit you when all this is has blown over." My voice is barely above a whisper, but the last thing I need is the Chief turning up and kicking up a stink because his little princess is the target of a complete moron who won't take 'no' for an answer.

I could tell from the tone of Charlie's voice that he's not happy about me shooting down his suggestion.

"Well I can't just sit here and do nothing given my position. Let me make some inquiries with the precinct you reported it to, and I'm going to run my own background checks on this so called...James Hunter. Call it a policeman's intuition, but I have a feeling there will be something dodgy in this guy's background that's been made to go away."

"Alright, Dad." I concede. If I give him this then he might back off a little.

"Now perhaps you'd like to enlighten me a bit more about this 'we' business. I'm assuming that you're talking about this Edward you mentioned when you were telling me about this whole powder keg? Although I must say, I'm liking him so far from what you've told me of his actions thus far." I could just picture Charlie's sour expression as he made that final admission. Nobody would ever be good enough for his only daughter, but it sounds like my bar room angel may have landed himself in Daddy's good graces with his fiercely protective nature.

Then it dawned on me, I'd never actually told Charlie about my relationship with Edward until this phone call, and even then, I'd kind of glossed over things in favor of giving him the details of James behavior. I palmed my face at my complete thoughtlessness, and disregard for our relationship. I'd just been so caught up in the whole whirlwind that had happened ever since that first meeting with Edward that calling my Dad had been the last thing on my mind.

"I'm sorry, Ch...I mean Dad. I should have called you more often, told you about Edward. He's the amazing man who helped me that night, and he's continued to help me since that night in the bar...he makes me feel safe. I promise to bring him down to meet you soon, I'm sure you'll get along with him really well. Just please don't do anything to scare him like make him ride in the back for the cruiser." Jesus, now I couldn't shut up!

Silence reigned supreme on the other end of the phone yet again. I knew my dad was a man of few words, but I needed him to say something. He finally broke the silence, and my hope of Edward getting away lightly when we visited was promptly squashed like a bug on a windshield.

"You have my word. I'll only polish my service weapon in front of him...the shotgun will remain in the gun cabinet," he teased in his best 'Chief' voice.

_Oh, fuck my life!_ This was going to send Edward running for the hills.

Cue uncontrollable guffaws from the peanut gallery on the other end of the phone.

"I'm hanging up now Dad!" I griped into the phone.

"Bells...Bells! I'm just yanking your chain girl. I'm sure Edward and I will get along just fine. I'll even reign in the old protective dad routine." He assured me once his chortles had died down.

"You promise?" I asked weakly, praying that I'd managed to avoid Charlie going all Chief of Police on my boyfriend.

After repeated pledges to behave himself, I bid Charlie farewell, telling him that I'd call at the weekend to confirm details about mine and Edwards visit to Forks.

The office was still pretty empty, so I decided to enjoy the peace and get on with making some further revisions to a manuscript. Two hours later, I realized that I hadn't moved since I'd hung up from my phone call and I was gasping for a cup of coffee. Heading out for the staff room to get my caffeine fix, I noticed that Angela wasn't at her desk so she had to be off running an errand as her terminal was switched on and there was a half empty cup of tea there. I grabbed her mug to get her a fresh drink since I was heading to the kitchen anyway.

Lost in thoughts of the manuscript I was working on, I added cream to my coffee and started to stir. The hairs on the back of my neck started to rise as James' voice spoke in a low and menacing tone.

"Isabella...you might think you're being clever by running to my father about what you _'think'_ I've been doing, but we both know that there's an undeniable attraction between us. All this effort so that your little boyfriend doesn't find out the truth is futile. There's no way that your word will be believed over mine, so you might as well just retract your allegations. Just remember who I am. It's only a matter of time."

His last words hung in the air laced with threat. I stood there frozen to the spot, pretty certain that he had made a quick exit, once again leaving me in no position to back up a claim of him hounding me. The hand that was gripping the mug started to sting as the heat broke through the surface of the china, yet I couldn't bring myself to let go. Somehow the burning sensation was giving me something to focus on, grounding me rather than letting me fall apart yet again.

This was never going to go away.

With a heavy heart, I turned back toward the door with both mugs and headed back to my office, dropping Angela's fresh cup of tea off at her desk as I went past. She still wasn't back, and I wondered for a moment what might be keeping her, but I had the rest of the manuscript to get through so I trudged back to my desk.

Ten minutes later there was a soft knock at the door before it opened just a crack and Angela stuck her head around.

"Sorry to disturb you, Bella, but I've just had a call from Alistair's assistant. He'd like to see you in the conference room right away." Her voice was laced with concern, which made my stomach sink. My guess was that Junior had indeed pulled the wool over his daddy's eyes and talked his way out of everything, and I was going to be shown the door.

I nodded my acknowledgement, made sure that my purse was locked away in my pedestal and made the long walk to find out my fate. As I walked across the floor toward the door that would potentially make or break me, I could feel eyes watching me. I tried my best to hold my head up high, and ignore the stares as I reached my destination.

From somewhere to the side of me I picked up the nasal whine of Jessica and Lauren speculating on what was going on.

"Did you see the 'legal team' arrive in full force earlier?" Jessica asked in a not so hushed whisper.

From beside her Lauren snorted, "Certainly did, and judging by the direction Bella's walking I'd say it involves her."

"Maybe she's screwed up someone's manuscript?" her sidekick guessed.

The last thing I needed was them speculating on what was going on, the shreds of truth that they knew would be twisted into something salacious and spread around the office like wildfire. As I reached my destination, Lauren's final words made me freeze.

"That...or she's been up to something she shouldn't have. You never can tell with these quiet mousy types."

I was convinced even more so that no matter what happened in the board room, my reputation at Hunter would be ruined.

Knocking on the door tentatively, Alistair's deep voice bid me to enter. I pushed on the heavy wooden doors, and gingerly made my way into the room, only to stop in my tracks once again. Already seated around the ridiculously sized conference table were Alistair, Kate, Garrett and James, but there was no sign of Edward which surprised me a little given that he'd been so instrumental in opening Alistair's eyes to what had been going on.

"Welcome, Bella, thank you for joining us. Would you please take a seat?" Alistair greeted me warmly while gesturing to an empty seat to the right of the giant table next to where Kate was sitting. Garrett was occupying the one next to Alistair, and then opposite me was James, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Alistair cleared his throat to garner everyone's attention, before he spoke; "Over the last twenty-four hours, I've been given a lot of information about a situation that has been unfolding for some time, and it has provided me with plenty to think about..."

His monologue faltered as the door to the conference room opened slightly and in slipped my angel, looking sharper than I've ever seen him before, in not only his attire, but the way he cast his eyes around the room, narrowing in on the cocky look that James was casting out. Edward's gaze moved around the room, giving an almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgement to Garrett at the head of the table with Alistair, and the faint trace of a smile as he acknowledged me.

Rather than take a seat, he opted to stand by the doors, presumably to observe from the periphery and be seen as neutral.

Alistair resumed his speech; "As I was saying...I've had quite a lot to consider since yesterday.

A small resigned sigh escaped his mouth before he continued, "I find myself in a position that I never ever thought I would be in. James, you are my son and the one I have been grooming to take over for me when the time is right. Bella, you have proven to be an incredibly hard working and loyal member of my staff who I have no doubt will go on to great things in the publishing world. This is an impossible situation and I'm forced to make decision I am neither comfortable with nor happy about, because it's clear that you both remaining working in this office cannot continue."

The look on Alistair's face remained impassive as he cast his eyes between me and his son. James continued to smirk at me from across the boardroom table and I wanted nothing more than to smack the smug look of satisfaction from that torturous bastard's face. This was it, he'd won, he'd gotten away with it and everything I'd worked for was ruined.

"In all honesty, my hands are tied on this matter. I have to do what's right for my company, while also being mindful of my family and my employees. I'm sorry Bella..."

His words faded into the background as the realization hit me, this was it. My career was over because that slimy bastard had convinced his dad that it was all on me.

The room around me erupted into absolute chaos.

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><p><strong>AN So there we have it my lovely readers, you know what was in the box, Alistair has reached a decision...but then I go and spoil it all by leaving you with a big fat cliffie. You didn't honestly think that I'd make this easy on you did you? I know you've probably all got your theories on what Alistair's decision was and what the devil happens next….and I'd love to hear them!**

**Once again, huge, huge apologies for me being awful with this whole updating stuff. While I love the writing process, the writers block I've had has been crippling (plus two tiny terrors don't make it easy to find my mojo). Hopefully I'm now back on track, and I promise you that Ch19 is already started.**

**Till next time folks, leave me some love or just some constructive views. Either way, I'm happy with just knowing what you think.**

**Much love,**

**Lou xxx**


	19. Chapter 19

**UPDATE - apologies, I realised after this had posted that there was a short paragraph missing that should have concluded the chapter. It's not massive, but it gave a better close to the events. So sorry if anyone felt that it came up a little flat.**

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><p><strong>All publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters<strong>**;**** I don't own these things****.****H****owever****,**** I do own the most fabulous pair of slippers that I picked up in the January sales!**

**Once again, Momma2fan is just the queen of awesomeness because she fixes my mistakes and stops me looking like a total fool given that I'm a Brit and we kinda speak and spell things different to the rest of y'all!**

**OK – so here would be a good place for me to issue a BIG APOLOGY for the radio silence you've experienced since the last chapter. I made a promise to you all that you wouldn't have to wait another year for an update, and look what happened….my RL went completely mental and it was just one thing after another. I can't say sorry enough, I feel like I'm letting people down when I'm not updating, but I had to put my family first with the things that were going on.**

**That said, things are looking a bit clearer now, and I'm able to spend more time with my laptop being creative. This story is not finished yet, I have plenty more I want to do with these characters, and I want to see it through to the end so please do stick with me. I promise I'm not giving up.**

**This whole chapter is from our favourite lawyer's POV, and I've given you a short reminder of how the last chapter ended. Now, let's get on with the show shall we?**

**UPDATE - apologies, I realised after this had posted that there was a paragraph missing that should have concluded the chapter. It's not massive, but it gave a better close to the events. So sorry if anyone felt that it came up a little flat.**

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><p><em><span>Previously:<span>_

_**BPOV (previously):**_

The look on Alistair's face remained impassive as he cast his eyes between me and his son. James continued to smirk at me from across the boardroom table and I wanted nothing more than to smack the smug look of satisfaction from that torturous bastard's face. This was it, he'd won, he'd gotten away with it and everything I'd worked for was ruined.

"In all honesty, my hands are tied on this matter. I have to do what's right for my company, while also being mindful of my family and my employees. I'm sorry, Bella..."

His words faded into the background as the realization hit me, this was it. My career was over because that slimy bastard had convinced his dad that it was all on me.

The room around me erupted into absolute chaos.

**CHAPTER 19:**

**EPOV:**

Holy hell! Now that's one for the Hunter family album. The decibel level in the board room just kept going up and up and up as James got more and more infuriated with his father. Nobody wants to go into any meeting relating to an accusation of harassment levied against the owner's son or for said owner's verdict to start sounding like you were about to be shown the door. That's how things had looked to the untrained eye and I'm pretty certain that's how Bella viewed it given the pained expression on her face and the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she was breathing.

As the scene played out in front of me, I had no idea just how ridiculous the whole thing would become.

"In all honesty, my hands are tied on this matter. I have to do what's right for my company, while also being mindful of my family and my employees. I'm sorry, Bella…" Alistair shook his head.

James sat to the left of his father with such a look of smug satisfaction that I wanted to climb over the table and kick the shit out of his whiny little ass. Then again, I knew what was coming next so if he wanted to dig himself a hole, then I'd gladly let him. Damn, I'd even supply the shovel if it meant it happened quicker!

Then the tool actually decided to open his mouth. Which by most people's standards would be considered a big mistake, but this was monumentally stupid.

James leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped behind the back of his head and actually gloated. "Oh well, Bella, it was nice working with you, but as you can see family comes first around this place. Have fun clearing out your desk."

The dumb fuck just didn't have a clue.

His reverie was cut short by the hissing tones of Alistair, who looked ready to strangle his son and heir. "James, I would prefer it if you would be quiet for a moment."

The asshole had the sense to look somewhat contrite after his father reined him back in, even if it was only for a brief moment. Meanwhile, Bella was still completely zoned out, staring at some point on the wall behind James' head. I wanted nothing more than to be by her side, reassuring her that everything was going to be OK.

"You _really_ need to listen to your father." Garrett urged as James glowered at him. The contempt he had for the official tone that he was spoken to with was practically rolling off him in waves.

Garrett knew exactly how things were about to go down, meaning that I was also privy to it, but I'd been unable to give Bella a heads up. It would have put Masen Platt in breach of our contract with Hunter so my consolation was that at least I was able to be there and maybe, have a chance to stick it to James once things were done.

Alistair cleared his throat, looking more than a touch uncomfortable about what he was going to say next. "As I was saying, I'm sorry that Bella has been subjected to such an unpleasant experience. I have spent most of my working life building a company to be proud of, one that when the time comes will be in safe hands when control is passed to the next generation. Sadly, that next generation won't be my flesh and blood. Not when he can't be trusted to treat the employees of this company with the respect they have a basic right to, never mind deserve."

Realisation registered on James' face as he absorbed his father's words; he wasn't getting a free pass this time. If I were a petty man, I would have mirrored his original stance and reclined in my chair with my hands behind my head and plastered the biggest smirk on my face, but I was far more interested in watching the proverbial bomb that was about to go off in the room.

"You're out James." The words hung in the air like a cloud of smog, thick and choking.

That was about the time when it kicked off. James flew to his feet, yelling and slamming his fist down on the solid wood surface of the conference table. "You have got to be fucking kidding me, Dad! Taking the word of some woman, who is clearly too lazy to work for her career and just wants to cause trouble, over your own son. Care to tell me exactly what I'm supposed to have done?"

Like he didn't already know, but it was clear he was going to play the victim in all of this.

"Sit down, James!" Alistair commanded, his patience clearly wearing thin with his son. Garrett leaned into Alistair and whispered something in his ear before Alistair continued.

"It's not what you're supposed to have done, James. It's what I _know_ you have done that has caused issues for Hunter Publishing. Never mind all of the things that I'm pretty certain you've had a hand in outside of the confines of my presence. I may not have discussed what you've been accused of with you, but in all honesty, James, I didn't need to. Nor did I have to, with the evidence that has been presented to me and what I have witnessed with my own eyes." Alistair murmured with what could only be described as resignation.

Alistair paused while his son gave his supposed defence.

James rapidly turned purple with anger at his father's words, as the realisation hit him that for once blood may not be thicker than water. Now he was in full on defence mode, as he battled to save his own hide.

"Father, you can't seriously think I've been chasing after her? I may have tried it on at Cullen's bar but that's as far as it went." The weasel sneered while glaring at Bella across the table as though she wasn't fit to share the same airspace as him. I sat back silently fuming while Garrett held my gaze telling me without speaking, not to react to anything derogatory that the little shit might say about my beautiful girl.

This atmosphere in the room was thick with tension as Alistair allowed his son to continue his diatribe.

"She's nothing, Dad, a simple passing fancy at best. I'm your son! Why would you take her word over your own child?" the idiot finally spat.

From the other side of the table Bella whimpered at the insults and lies that flew from James' mouth. I was torn between wanting to comfort her and simply ripping his throat out to shut him up, but the hairy eyeball I was getting from Garrett told me to check myself. As I calmed down, Garret's expression morphed, he quirked an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth twitched before he leaned in to Alistair and whispered something, to which the older gentleman nodded in agreement.

James sat there with his arms crossed, a scowl firmly set on his face, ready for the next round of the battle, but at least the tool knew to keep quiet if his father was about to speak again.

The older gentleman rounded on his son, clearly at the end of his patience; "From the day your mother begged me to bring you into the business after you had only just scraped through college, I have never regretted anything more in my life. I love that woman to the ends of the earth, which is why I couldn't refuse her wish for this to become a family business. To begin with, I thought you might just prove me wrong because you showed a real talent for signing new writers. Then it was brought to my attention that you were low-balling the unpublished ones, even coercing them into sleeping with you as a means of guaranteeing the deal would go through. Not only did you cheapen the reputation of Hunter, but you have proven time and time again that you can't be trusted to conduct yourself in a manner that protects the best interests of my company. I have lost count of the number of times Edward and Garrett have had to fix the contractual fiascos you've had a hand in creating. I will _not_ allow you to continue to jeopardise everything that I have worked for with such wilful disregard!"

Silence descended upon the room as Alistair paused to give James time to digest his words. I doubted that he'd have any need to draw his views to a conclusion….his opening gambit had truly said it all. I'd been quite shocked by how vocal he had become, but then again, perhaps I shouldn't have underestimated him. The man was savvy when it came to business and one of the fairest people I'd ever encountered in Seattle Society's circles. In my view this was a rare and much maligned trait.

Bella stared across the table at me as the implications of Alistair's words started to sink in. All the while, the fury on James' face was blisteringly evident for all to see. I locked my gaze on her and flashed a brief smile before mouthing "trust me", because the gasket was about to blow from what I could tell.

"So what are you trying to say, Dad?" James sneered, his tone laced with derision for the words his father had just uttered.

Alistair went to answer the question that had been posed, even though we all knew that it was purely rhetorical. James knew exactly what this meant and now that he'd been backed into a corner, he was hissing and clawing like a caged animal.

At this point Garret interjected, leaving no doubt over what the outcome of this meeting was going to be. "In simple terms, James, you're father is exercising his right as the owner of this company, and your boss, to terminate your employment...effective immediately."

Banging his fist down on the polished surface of the boardroom table James, clearly unable to accept what had been relayed to him, erupted once more. "You can't do this to me! I am a part owner of this business now, too. You gave me a share of the company on my twenty-fifth birthday!"

With a wry smile my uncle sat poised to deliver the killer blow, a blow that I myself had written into the share offering that was drafted when Alistair had reluctantly agreed to offer a part of the business to his son. "Tut, tut, James. Surely you read the small print on the contract you signed to accept the transfer of that share of the company? No? Let me refresh your memory just in case. Your father agreed to transfer ten percent of the company to you, but as the contract outlined, you had to keep your nose clean until your father was ready to retire. Failure to act in the best interests of the company would render the contract null and void and that portion would revert back to your father."

The atmosphere in the room thickened as James' anger rapidly built, while the true implications of Garret's words sunk in. I could visibly see Bella shrinking further into her seat as she anticipated yet another explosion of that famous Hunter temper...something Alistair always managed to remain in control of.

"You can't do this to me! Mother won't allow it. She has a share in this business and half of what was offered to me came from her share. She'll never let you take the side of an employee over your own flesh and blood!" he sneered.

Alistair leaned toward Garrett, quietly discussing something to which Garrett's eyebrow raised and shook his head before the whispered conversation continued at pace. James looked on with a mix of rage and confusion, trying to figure out whether his father was about to relent at the mention of his beloved wife. The chances of that happening were slim to none. When we'd initially drawn up the contract, Alistair had been pretty certain that his heir would cause some kind of catastrophe way before the deadline we'd included, which in my eyes had been very generous. He'd actively sought his wife's agreement even though her stake in the company was a lesser one just like their son's. Their discussion continued in hushed tones, with Garrett giving an occasional, almost imperceptible nod or shake of the head at what Alistair was saying. From my end of the table I couldn't hear what was being said and judging by the constant change in James' expression, neither could he, which had to be pissing him off no end, much to my delight.

The conversation appeared to be winding up when Garrett's eyebrows shot up at something Alistair had said. Clearly it wasn't anything he was expecting to hear. Damn, I wished I was sitting at the other end of the room.

Both gentlemen turned back to the table, and Alistair spoke once more. "James, you've been given more than enough opportunities to show yourself to be a Hunter who would one day be worthy of running my company. Instead, you've strutted around here acting like you're already sitting in my seat and to hell with the fall out. I'm ashamed to say that you're my son right now, and there is no way in hell that I'll ever hand my company over to you. It's a done deal as far as I'm concerned your involvement with Hunter Publishing ends today."

Alistair stood from his seat, signifying that he was done. James, on the other hand, had turned purple once again and looked like a bomb ready to go off as he practically vibrated in his seat with fury at his father's dismissal.

The older gentleman turned and shook Garrett's hand while thanking him for coming, before walking around to where Bella was sitting and taking the vacant seat to her right. Garrett was gathering his paperwork and legal pad together, all the while his eyes sharply focused on what was playing out to his right, but occasionally his gaze darted back to the fuming form on the other side of the table

Gently, Alistair took hold of Bella's hands, soothingly squeezing them in reassurance. "Bella, I truly am sorry for what you've had to go through. Please know that we will help you in any way we can, whether that's speaking to the detective investigating the complaint you've made, or just making sure you feel safe here. I can't apologise enough for what my son appears to have been subjecting you to."

He spoke softly, but with a reverence that I wouldn't expect from a business owner whose employee had made accusations against their son, or any father for that matter.

Bella nodded in acknowledgement of his words, but didn't speak. Whether that was because she didn't know what to say in return, or if she was still scared to speak with James in the room, I had no idea. A lone tear trickled down her face as she sucked in a sob at the realisation that Alistair absolutely believed what we had told him.

Unable to take the distance any more, I stood and closed the gap between us in a couple of strides, kneeling down beside her and wrapping my arms around her.

From across the room, there was the sound of a chair scraping backwards violently and a cacophony of noise erupted from the younger Hunter in the room.

"You bitch! If you think you'll get away with getting me fired you have another thing coming!" he spat venomously from the other side of the room.

We all looked up as the vitriol continued as he started to pace backwards and forwards. "You think you're so clever, convincing everyone that you're the victim here, poor little Isabella who did nothing to deserve the attention she got. Well, this is all on you! You wanted the attention you little whore, and you honestly weren't worth the effort given how quickly you've obviously spread your legs for Cullen."

By now Bella was openly sobbing at what we were hearing. I just held her tighter, whispering soothingly in her ear that nobody thought that way about her and that it would all be okay in the end. The ranting from the other side of the room continued, increasing in venom and volume, but my focus remained on my beautiful girl who needed comfort and reassurance that he was no longer a threat to her in her place of work. Outside of this building remained to be seen, but if things went down how we anticipated, that wouldn't be an issue for much longer.

Kate stood from her chair and looked at Alistair. "I'm sorry, Alistair! I can't sit here and listen to this any longer."

Alistair nodded in agreement and being the gentleman that he is, stood with her.

"I couldn't agree more, Kate; I could do with a drink. Perhaps something stronger than coffee, so why don't we head to my office. I have single malt there that I think would work very well given the situation."

At that point I'd also had enough of the bile he was spewing, so I decided it was time to play our trump card, something that Alistair didn't know was coming. I seriously doubted he'd have an issue with it given how things had gone down. I nodded to Garrett who had been waiting for his cue.

The ranting in the room was cut short by Garrett who clearly wanted to move things onto the finale of this drama. "James, I would advise that you take your leave right now. There's also one final matter we need to address, just to make sure you get what you're entitled to as you're leaving Hunter."

His tone remained impassive, while James' eyes lit up as though he'd just won big on the horses. Bingo! He'd come to the conclusion that I'd expected him to, given that he was a greedy little ass. While he was rushing to catch up with Garrett, who was ready to leave the room, I leaned in to Bella's ear and whispered. "Follow me, there's something you need to see. Just stay close to me as we go out the door."

Out in the main office we were greeted by the sight of two detectives from Seattle PD stepping towards James. An interesting sight unfolding in front of everyone who was seated at their desks.

"Mr. James Hunter?" the older of the two men enquired in a commanding manner.

The ass-wipe turned in the direction of both men, and the smug look he'd been sporting drained from his face until he had taken on an almost gray palor at the sight of their exposed badges.

"Yes," he squeaked as my smile took on his former smugness.

The older detective continued to speak in a very matter of fact manner. "We'd like to ask you some questions regarding an allegation of harassment and assault. I would appreciate it if you would accompany us down to the station to help with our inquiries."

For once the weasel didn't speak; he just nodded his head in compliance.

Bella peered out from behind my right arm, so I wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders as Garrett stepped up to flank her on her other side. I felt a tap on my shoulder, as he signaled that I should take the piece of paper he was holding.

I knew what the note contained, so I seized my opportunity to be able to finally contribute to James' exit from Hunter. I strode over to where the two detectives were waiting to escort him from the building to discuss matters further.

Extending the hand that held the stiff laid paper letterhead of Hunter Publishing, the childish schoolboy in me couldn't help but dish out a little bit of playground retribution. "Oh, James, by the way, just so that we can avoid any confusion, here's your letter of termination from Personnel. You can expect a formal notice from Masen Platt in the next couple of days regarding the share agreement."

He snatched the letter from my grasp, his eyes blazing with fury that this was all going down in the open office.

A small chuckle erupted from me as I added my final jab, my gaze set firmly on his so that there could be no mistake that the way things were playing out was completely my engineering. "That clause in the contract about you fucking up, that was my stroke of genius. I knew you were a screw up because you still behave like the spoiled, self entitled, brat you were in high school and college. Time to grow up, and face the consequences of your actions...son!"

At this point, the office had been deadly silent as the employees of Hunter watched the drama that had started behind closed doors, spill out in full view of everyone. The two harpies who had claimed to be friends with Bella, stood off to one side, the bottle blonde one was staring daggers at Bella, while the brunette just looked uncomfortable. Angela had joined Garrett at Bella's side.

I expected him to explode at me for having the final word on the matter, what I hadn't anticipated, given that two of Seattle's finest were standing next to him, was for James to catch me completely off guard and land a punch square on the left side of my face. The next thing I know, I'm on my ass on the floor and I hear Bella shriek from behind me. Man that shit stung and would no doubt leave a mark which would make client meetings a little awkward next week.

"You think you're so smug don't you, Cullen? Strutting in here like you're something big, talking my dad into believing the lies your little girlfriend is spewing. Well let me tell you a few things. You won't win. I'm a Hunter, and there's no way I'll go down for any of the shit your bitch is pedalling." He spat at me as a collective gasp echoed around the room.

My face was throbbing, but I knew that to react to the vitriol that was just spewed at me would be a mistake. He'd just booked himself a one way ticket to an interrogation room, and most likely a night in a cell because the cops had witnessed this latest tantrum.

The younger detective stepped forward, unclipping his cuffs from his belt as his partner started to speak. "James Hunter, you are under arrest for the assault of Edward Cullen and suspicion of the harassment and assault of Isabella Swan. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right at this time to talk to a lawyer and have your lawyer present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before questioning, if you wish. Do you understand each of these rights?"

I had to feel for Alistair at this point, watching his only child and the man who should have been poised to become the next head of Hunter Publishing, be forcibly removed from the building. I turned to look at Bella, who looked absolutely horrified at what had just played out in front of her. She went to step toward me, but I didn't want her any closer to James while he was getting more and more wound up as the detective was trying to wrestle the cuffs onto him. It was looking like 'resisting arrest' was going to be part of the growing list of things that the detectives wanted to discuss with him.

Giving a gentle shake of my head to her and Angela, the two friends shared a few whispered words before Angela made eye contact with me and nodded as she ushered Bella back towards her office and away from the commotion while I picked myself up off the floor. Garrett also saw this as the perfect opportunity to remove Alistair and Kate from the drama. Everyone else turned back to whatever they had been doing before we'd exited the board room.

When James realized that people were no longer looking, it was like somebody flipped a switch. Seriously, this guy had attention issues, I swear. His face turned a deep shade of red, he was absolutely fuming that everyone had turned their backs on him and the situation.

"That's right you fucking whore, run away now that you've spread your filthy lies about me! I won't forget this, remember that. I will end the pair of you for this!" he raged, while pulling against the metal restraints that the detective had finally managed to apply to his wrists.

It was as though James really didn't grasp that he wasn't the victim in all of this, but being the grown man that he was, he needed to take responsibility for his actions. Assuming this made it to court, which it was pretty much guaranteed to given the evidence we'd provided the police with, then this was going to be utter carnage if this was a snapshot of his mental state. I was jumping the gun a little with that thought though; James hadn't even been questioned or charged with anything yet. In my view though, it was only a matter of time.

Watching the detectives haul James' punk ass out of the office toward the exit, I knew I'd need to make a statement, but that could wait. There were some things that needed my attention first and that included Bella, but before that I had one parting shot for Master Hunter. The lawyer in me meant I couldn't help but make sure I had the last word.

Following shortly behind the detectives, as I headed in the direction of the bathrooms to check out my wounds, I couldn't help but call out to him, "James, I suggest you find yourself some legal counsel, because Masen Platt will not represent you for this…conflict of interest and all."

I added a little shrug as he turned his head in my direction, before adding with a wry smile, "And don't let the door hit your ass on the way out."

It wasn't possible to hear just what expletives were spewing from his mouth as the cops wrestled him out of the door, but he was clearly agitated judging by the way he was whipping his head about and the speed his mouth was moving. While the jab I'd made might have been perceived as a childish one that would have been more befitting of a school playground at recess, I genuinely couldn't bring myself to care.

What it also didn't alter was the feeling in my gut that while some would view this as the end of the matter, in reality it was most likely just the beginning of a whole new game of crazy with James, and I had to do everything in my power to not only protect Bella from it, but prepare her for when the storm hit.

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><p><strong>AN **

**Pheeeeewwwwww, so who is just a tiny bit exhausted after that one then?! Once again, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting my lovelies, but I do hope that it was worth the wait. Next up, I think our beautiful pair need a little R&R, so who's up for a little road trip and maybe the introduction of The Chief?! Do you think old green eyes can handle him in all his porn 'stache glory? I promise that you won't have another 12 months to hold out for an update.**

**Remember reviews = love, and I'm always interested to hear what you think about my writing, but please do keep it constructive, cos crying only leads to interruptions with my writing! lol**

**Until next time, much love to you all. **

**Lou xx**


	20. Chapter 20

**All publicly recognised characters are the property of Stephanie Meyer; I've just fiddled about with them a little bit. All songs referenced are the property of the original songwriters. I don't own these things; however I do a very large headache after all the writing I've done for this chapter & the next one!**

**Momma2fan you are just fabulous, and I couldn't do this without you. And to all my followers and fans of this little story, I am so sorry for letting you down in terms of posting regular updates.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 20:<strong>

**BPOV:**

The last 24 hours had been a whirlwind of activity. After James' blow up in the office and the shock that Alistair had actually believed that his son had been waging a one man campaign of unwelcome attention on me, I'd asked if I could take Friday as leave just to recover. I felt bad about asking given that I'd already had time off because of all this, but Alistair was insistent that I take the time. He even added that if I didn't feel up to coming into the office on Monday then I should just work from home instead.

Edward hadn't been too happy when I'd insisted on going back to my apartment or that I wanted some time to myself to just process what had happened. My guilt that he'd been physically hurt in all of this was magnified exponentially by the sight of the bruise that had formed on his cheek, spreading up toward his eye. It was potentially going to look really nasty by the morning, so I'd urged him to go see Carlisle and have him check it out. After assuring him that I just wanted to order some takeout, have a hot bath and crawl into bed, he finally acquiesced and left me to my own devices. He said he'd head to Bainbridge for his dad to give him the once over, but only because he wanted to put my mind at ease. I knew him better than that though. Sure he wanted to appease me, but we both knew this wasn't over, plus he probably wanted to give his parents a heads up on what was likely to be headed our way once James was through being questioned by the police.

With a gentle kiss to my forehead, and whispers of how incredibly strong Edward thought I was for tackling this head on, he bid me goodnight and headed out. It wasn't a viewpoint I'd shared up to this moment, after all I'd been a nervous wreck when I sat in the conference room. There had been a subconscious belief that there was no way a father would turn against his son based on the accusations of a low end employee. Perhaps the fact that Alistair believed everything, had been the tipping point in my mind, like a switch had been flipped and suddenly I knew I could stand up to him. Don't get me wrong, I was fully aware that Edward had been with me every step of the way, supporting and encouraging me to stand up to James and for myself, but Alistair's reaction just gave me that final nudge to realise that this wasn't on me, and that I'm stronger and better than how I was left feeling after everything that had occurred in the past with my mother's interference.

There were no illusions, this was not the end, not by a long shot. While the fear crept in when he kicked off, I knew I had to muster every bit of strength I had because this was a fight that I not only had to be prepared for, but that I wasn't willing to lose. After James had been hauled away in a cop car, I realised something.

Call it an epiphany if you will.

James was a bully and a coward. He saw me as an easy target because I'm quiet by nature, I don't like drawing attention to myself, and I shy away from confrontation. I had let his spoiled behaviour intimidate me because he put me on edge whenever he was near me, he fed off it and used it to continue the intimidation, taking it up a notch with each move. Well, this was the last time it was going to happen. My father had raised me to be stronger than that.

It didn't take a genius to know what had caused me to become like this and I cursed my mother for her meddling and controlling behaviour. What I needed to remember was that I was no longer that girl in college who had been so trusting and easily manipulated; that would never happen to me ever again.

It was time to fight for myself. If this ended up going to court, then I would take that witness stand with my head held high and I would nail that sick bastard for everything he'd done in his pursuit. Crawling under the covers that night, I felt far more determined than I ever had.

Sleep didn't come easily though. I was plagued with nightmares of the evening when James put his hands on me in the bar, punctuated with all the instances where he'd been able to get to me mentally. After waking in a cold sweat at four in the morning, I'd been unable to get back to sleep, so I'd switched the radio on for some background noise and curled up with a book hoping for a distraction. At most, five minutes had passed when my cell phone chimed from the bedside table indicating a text.

Reaching to see who might be messaging at this time, a small smile graced my lips upon reading the words;

_**Can't sleep :-( ~E**_

Seems like I wasn't the only one struggling. I fired back a quick reply.

_**Me either :-( ~B**_

I was expecting another quick response from Edward, but ended up sorely disappointed by the silence that followed. That was until thirty minutes later the entrance buzzer went off, frightening the life out of me. Ridiculously, the first thought was that it was James, and I had a minor freak out, until I switched off my 'stupid' and rationalised that even if James was crazy enough to turn up at my home, there's no way he would have pressed the entry intercom.

I was pulled from my internal debate by the ding of another text.

_**Open up, Beautiful. I'm freezing my ass off out here! :-) ~E**_

After buzzing him in from the main entrance, I left the apartment door on the latch and went to put the kettle on. A lot of people would have viewed this as a straight up 'booty call', but if I knew Edward, a steaming hot mug of coffee would be what he wanted the most.

"Hey, BBG," he whispered softly in my ear, his arms sliding around my waist from behind.

The calming salve I felt just from hearing his voice was something that I'd become acutely aware of since we'd first met, and I shamelessly took every opportunity to revel in the security and strength that it gave.

"Hi." I sighed sinking back into the warmth of his embrace as he peppered the top of my head with soft butterfly kisses. The click of the kettle switching off broke us from our bubble after a minute or so.

With drinks made, we retreated to the lounge, curling up together amongst the plush, scattered cushions of the couch. I could tell from the look he was currently giving me that he had something to share, but the smile on his face gave reassurance that there was nothing that I needed to worry myself with.

Lacing his fingers with mine and squeezing them gently he spoke with a hint of mirth; "So, Dad said my face isn't broken and I'll be back to my beautiful self in a few days."

I shook my head and rolled my eyes at his impish tone, dismissing his comment with a wave of my hand. "No matter, I'm not with you for your devilishly handsome looks, Cullen. I just want you for your sexual prowess. You should know that by now. Besides, the bruising just adds to the rugged manliness that you already exude."

Edward chuckled deeply, the vibrations radiating from his body as I snuggled in closer.

"Silly girl, I'm your willing plaything, your toy to do with as you wish._ You _should know that by now_._" He whispered gently, although his intent was definitely firm judging by the growing bulge against my thigh.

Never being one to turn down an open invitation to have my way with him, I rose on my knees and straddled his lap. Threading my fingers through his deliciously messy hair, I dipped my head and peppered his lips and jaw with gentle kisses, while steadily pressing myself against the rough denim of Edward's jeans.

Strong hands worked their way up my thighs, ghosting across the sensitive flesh of my buttocks, his nimble fingers sliding just under the elastic of my panties to squeeze me gently.

"What do you want, Baby?" He crooned softly against the corner of my mouth.

I'd allowed too much to control me in recent times, and it also wasn't lost on me that I'd let Edward take the lead with our bedroom activities for the main part, even if I had pretty much ordered him to fuck me the night that I'd passed out in my apartment. This time though, I was in the driver's seat, and I was sure as hell enjoying being in charge.

"You'll see." I smirked in return.

Slowly withdrawing one hand from his hair, snaking it down his torso to the fly of his jeans, I deftly popped the buttons open while raising myself up on my haunches. He took the hint and lifted himself up off the couch providing me with the space to grip the waistband of his pants and boxers, sliding all offending articles away from his body. I realised that I wasn't going to be able to get them off completely, but what I wanted didn't require complete nakedness on either of our parts.

Finally getting the fabric eased down enough to liberate Edward's erection, I let out a contented sigh. I would never get tired of just how beautiful that magnificent appendage was, nor how it knew just the right way to coax the most delicious reactions from me just by its very presence.

Lowering myself back into Edward's lap, I slowly began to torture my man, rocking backwards and forwards so the fabric of my panties grazed against his hardened length. His breath hitched with every pass as I created a torturous pace with my movements. Those wonderfully talented hands of his inched up my back providing delightful chills that caused my nipples to harden against the inside of my t-shirt as I smashed my lips firmly against his.

The air around us was thick with our combined panting, leaving me so fired up that it felt possible that I might combust.

Getting hot and heavy on the sofa like a couple of horny teenagers, this moment was mine for the taking, and I sure as hell planned on humping the life out of my Angel, but it wasn't enough…never enough. The ache between my thighs told me what my brain already knew, stuff the preamble; I needed more, so much more.

"This is what I want." I whispered softly. In one swift move, I reached between us, fingers ghosting over his smooth skin and quickly slid my underwear to the side before guiding him, firm and wanting, toward the place where I needed him the most.

Edward's satisfied groan echoed all around us of as I sank down slowly until filled to the hilt. The stretch as I took him all in, sent tiny little bursts of electricity up my spine, fueling the burn that was already building.

The push and pull drew the most sensuous of noises from Edward's lips as his hands rose to my shoulders gathering the fabric of my t-shirt, pulling it upward and peeling it away from my body. Swiftly, he yanked his own top from his torso, barely breaking contact with me, almost as though a magician had just performed the tablecloth trick and not a single piece of china had been disturbed. Once we were skin to skin, I became hyper aware of how heated my flesh was, and the zings and zaps I was feeling in my spine continued, radiating outward across my entire body.

Edward dipped his head to capture one of my nipples between his teeth, administering a mouth-watering combination that alternated between flicking the bud with his tongue, teasing bites, and suckling like a man desperate for water in the desert. His hands gently rested on my waist, aiding my movements, yet still allowing me to hold all the power over the pace.

It was raw, it was pure, and needy as I tugged at his hair holding him closer to my chest, but it was also loving and tender. Yes, I was taking what I wanted, but it was everything that Edward was more than willing to give me any time I asked.

Consumed by sensation, as flames devour dry kindling, the coil tightened deep inside until it was borderline painful, but still I pushed onward. This was a carefully choreographed dance. With every touch, thrust, and moan, I couldn't help but gaze at a tiny bead of perspiration inching its way down Edward's left temple as he continued his assault on my breasts, in the hopes of staving off the flood about to break through the dam. I focused on Edward's ministrations, the soft grunts as he nuzzled against me formed a sensual melody, a rhythm for our combined motion as we built to a blisteringly sweet and satisfying crescendo.

Words weren't necessary, nor was there a need to look at each other; we simply lost ourselves in the moment where we tipped over the edge together. Edward stiffened beneath me, letting out a strangled gasp before pulsing and spilling into me. I followed right behind throwing my head back and chanting his name in whispered prayer, as I collapsed against the cool, damp skin of his shoulder, jelly like and desperate for breath.

Spent and thoroughly sated, I was vaguely aware of Edward pressing light kisses into my hair as he held me tightly against him. I could feel myself starting to drift, warm and comfortable in my Angel's arms, safely cocooned from the world and every outside force.

Here I was protected, here I was loved, here I was brave and could fight any battle, slay any demon that that dared to threaten my happiness.

I woke to a thin shaft of light peeking through curtains, casting a ray across the far wall of the room and reflecting off the mirror above the dresser. I was warm and snug, swathed in the purple patchwork comforter that had been my grandmother's. At some point while I was comatose, Edward had manoeuvred me to the bedroom and tucked me up tight.

Reaching across the bed, I felt for the sleeping form of my boyfriend, only to come up empty. His side was cold, but the sheets were rumpled, so he'd definitely stayed. Wondering where he could have gone, I started to pull the covers back just as the bedroom door creaked alerting me to Edward's return. His broad smile and rumpled hair greeted me.

"Morning sleepy head, thought you might like some coffee and a bite to eat while I grab a shower." He offered with a lazy grin.

Glancing at the alarm clock on my bedside table, I noticed that it was already ten in the morning. How the hell did I sleep for so long without being disturbed by the alarm? I loathe the idea of wasting the day by lounging around, especially when there were chores I wanted to take care of seeing as I wasn't going into work. Pulling myself into a seated position against the headboard, I folded my legs into a crossed position while Edward set the steaming mug of caffeine and a toasted bagel down next to the alarm clock so that it was within easy reach for me, before bending down to peck me gently on the lips.

"Good morning to you, too, handsome." I whispered against his mouth with a smile. It was such a simple greeting, but for me, it was those uncomplicated gestures that just added to the purity of what Edward and I shared.

Taking the tips of my fingers from where they were resting on the bed, he raised them to his mouth and softly pressed a kiss to my knuckles, before turning around and entering the bathroom.

Seconds later, the sound of running water echoed around the room, so I took the time to absorb myself in the novel I was part way through reading while I nibbled on my breakfast.

After what seemed like only five minutes the shower shut off, although more time than that had to have passed as a whole chapter had been devoured, plus there were only crumbs left on the plate. I knew it would be a while before Edward was finished as he'd no doubt want to shave or at least tidy up the scruff he'd accumulated on his face in the last twenty four hours and brush his teeth.

As was usually the case when reading, the words had sucked me in, and I was totally engrossed by complex characters and narrative, completely unaware of anything else around me.

"So, while I was with my parents, I received a couple of phone calls you might be interested in hearing about." Edward broke the silence from the bathroom door.

I looked up from the text and nodded for him to continue, wondering what he was about to tell me.

"Garrett collected on a favour with the police to get an update on what was happening. It appears that James lawyered up as soon as he was hauled into the police station, which was to be expected. He's spending the night in the cells after a very colourful interview where he spat and hissed an awful lot, while protesting his innocence. He even claimed that you must be sleeping with Alistair." He winced.

With the last sentence, the bile threatened to rise. It wasn't repulsion, rather abhorrence, at the thought of that accusation being thrown about by that weasel to try to save his own skin. While Edward and I know that there's no foundation in his accusations and I'm sure that most people in the office would never think that of me, there were certain people who would. Given their liking for James, they'd be more apt to leap to his defence and spread gossip.

Striding across the room, Edward sank to his knees beside the bed.

Taking my hands in his, he continued. "Hey, I know that look. You have nothing to worry about. Your reputation is solid, and while there is likely to be office gossip, the truth is most definitely going to go public based on what Garrett told me."

Feeling a little confused, almost as though I was missing something or, at the very least, knowing that there was more detail coming, I pushed for him to continue. "So what happened then?"

A wry smile spread across his beautiful face. "His lawyer spent most of his time begging James to keep quiet. Doesn't matter though. What we've provided to the police, along with witness statements from Kate and Angela regarding incidents in the office, then Emmett's and Rose's from the night at the bar, plus the evidence from the CCTV, they have plenty to use against him. It's looking like he's going to be charged this morning with harassment and the assault on you at the bar for starters. They also think they've got a solid case for the District Attorney to prove he was stalking you."

To say I was stunned was an understatement. The fact we'd gotten this information via an off the record source made me a little twitchy, but given who was delivering the news, I knew it was credible, so I was willing to trust it's validity to a larger extent. I couldn't truly believe it until I'd heard it for myself, though.

Taking a deep breath, I asked the question that was bouncing around my head. "So when will we have official confirmation that he's been charged?"

"Don't worry, Baby. The D.A. will most likely call you once everything is formalised to let you know what happens next, but it's safe to say that this will go to trial. He's going to protest that his ass is innocent for the rest of his days simply because, in his sick mind, he genuinely believes that he's done nothing wrong."

This was always going to be a possibility, however, I was fully prepared to face him down from the witness stand if I had to. Hearing Edward say the words made it just that little bit more real.

"There's more though, Baby. They police have asked if I want to press charges for the punch he threw in front of the cops at Hunter and the night at the bar. My guess is that we've gotten lucky with the detectives investigating and prosecutor's office; they want to bring the cocky son of a bitch down a peg or two by making an example of him."

Those words felt like a soothing balm. To know that the accusations levelled at James were being taken seriously by the authorities now and that maybe, just maybe, he would be held accountable for his actions in the eyes of the law. It was as though I could suddenly start breathing again, almost as if I'd been too scared to exhale for fear that it may garner more unwanted attention than had already been received.

I nodded in acceptance of the information that Edward had just laid at my feet. My trust in him to steer me right in all of this was resolute and not just because I had no real understanding of how the judicial system would work in this case.

Recalling that Edward had mentioned two phone calls, I wondered what the other one had been in relation to. Curiosity getting the better of me, I pre-empted him continuing with things. "So what about the other conversation you had?"

That was how I found myself settled into the soft, leather passenger seat of Edward's Maserati late Friday afternoon, entering the town of Forks to visit my father. The tiny, one horse town where I'd graduated high school never really changed, but it was definitely going to be an education for my boyfriend. He was a city dweller through and through, and I doubt he'd ever been somewhere that had a four digit population and no Starbucks.

Apparently, Charlie had called Edward after receiving the heads up from an old police colleague of his from Seattle about James' arrest. I wasn't going to question how he'd obtained a private cell number for him, but given that he's a cop, I had a pretty good idea. Dad hadn't wanted to bother me after everything that had happened, but the law enforcement officer in him needed more information on what had gone down at Hunter and he knew he'd get a first-hand account this way. The conversation had ended with my dad asking Edward to bring me home to visit so that he could look me in the eye to be sure I was definitely doing alright.

The vehicle purred gently as we made a turn and rolled to a standstill in the driveway behind dad's 'company car'. Chancing a quick glance at the driver's seat, Edward looked calm, relaxed, and happy. Emotions you wouldn't normally expect your significant other to be feeling when they were about to meet their girlfriend's father for the first time. It certainly wasn't how Paul had reacted the first time he'd met Charlie. In fact, he'd been a nervous wreck every one of the half a dozen times he'd been in his presence, which should have given me fair warning of what to expect. Of course, he'd tried to lay on the charm, oozing pseudo confidence like it was going out of style, but you could see under the surface that the man who was Chief of Police in Forks, Washington, made him more than a little nervous. Maybe it was the easy access to guns and a pair of handcuffs or just that Paul was worried that dad would see straight through the façade?

Not that I truly cared about something that was very much staying in the past and insignificant to the here and now. This time, I was the one sweating bullets, because this man mattered to me and I wanted Charlie's approval because for me this was a long haul thing. It might well be the first time I was genuinely interested in what dad thought of a decision I'd made. He'd always been the one who encouraged me to chase the dream that made me happiest, not what others wanted for me.

Glancing out of the window, the old house where I'd spent the best years of my adolescence looked weathered. The wooden exterior had faded more with the passing of time and was now punctuated by patches of blistered and flaking paint. The yard was neat and tidy still, but that was because Charlie paid a neighbour's son to mow the lawn and clear leaves.

Despite my former home looking so aged and tired, a warming sense of familiarity and calm washed over me.

With the engine switched off, Edward gently seized my hand and squeezed it tenderly before raising it to his lips and placing a feather light kiss against my knuckles.

"I think there's someone who really wants to see you." He murmured with a slight nod in the direction of the porch.

The front door was wide open, swinging rapidly toward the oversized potted plant that sat on the porch. The usually calm and composed Chief of Police was charging down the steps in full uniform. As I unclipped my seatbelt, the passenger door opened with a whoosh of air and I found myself pulled from the car and enveloped in the strong protective arms of my father.

Sighing happily as relief and joy flooded through my veins I whispered, "Daddy."

"Sweetheart, I'm so pleased you're here." His gruff timbre waivered faintly at the end of the declaration.

Our embrace felt as though it had lasted for far longer than the minute or so that had actually passed, such was the protective power of a 'dad hug'. It wasn't until I heard the soft click of the car door being closed that I realised I ought to make some introductions.

Reluctantly, I disengaged from Charlie's hold, expecting some kind of gun flashing, threat issuing 'you messing with my daughter' kind of shenanigans. What actually happened, shocked the hell out of me though.

Cool as a cucumber, Edward stepped forward, hand outstretched and a genuinely easy smile gracing his handsome face. "It's good to finally meet you Chief Swan."

Looking at his reaction it left me dumbfounded. Where I expected there to be fake posturing at this point, flexing of muscles, exerting authority over the man that had taken his daughter's fancy, I found no trace of mirth or threat in his expression. There wasn't even a flash of his gun, in fact, he wasn't even wearing his holster. Instead, he warmly accepted Edward's gesture, cementing his affirmation by giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.

"Likewise, Son. Thank you for bringing my baby girl home to me and for everything you've been doing to keep her safe in Seattle." He gushed, before adding, "Thought I told you on the phone yesterday to call me Charlie."

Seriously, it was like my dad had been given a personality transplant. Normally an individual of few words, stoic and measured. Here he was thanking someone who he would normally have accused of having stolen my virtue or some other typical Chief Swan bullshit.

Ladies and gentlemen, I had entered 'The Twilight Zone'!

A wry chuckle escaped from Edward's lips at my dad's request. "No thanks needed, Charlie. After the last few weeks I'm pretty certain this is exactly what Bella needs."

There was a nod of agreement from my father, before he suggested that we make our way into the house where it was more comfortable. Time with my father and Edward was definitely an antidote to the world of crazy that had been going on in my life.

That night, over cartons of Forks' finest Chinese takeout, and by finest I mean ONLY Chinese takeout, Edward and I filled dad in on the call I'd received regarding James' arraignment. The judge had bound him over for trial on all charges that the District Attorney's office were proposing and set bail at fifty thousand dollars. A sum which Edward speculated would be beyond the instant reach of a weasel like Hunter. He had a feeling that his father wouldn't be bending over backwards to offer a 'get out of jail free card', so we were anticipating him to remain locked up for the rest of the weekend at the very least.

We'd also heard from the detective who had handled my original restraining order application. The judge had granted an extension, which meant that the animal was not allowed to be within a five hundred metre radius of me or Edward; that included the Hunter Publishing offices.

He also wasn't allowed to make contact with me via phone, letter or email either, which went some way to reassuring me that I should get some peace before we go to court for the actual trial.

That was something my father wasn't exactly jumping for joy over. I was definitely going to have to take the witness stand, seeing as James had entered a plea of not guilty.

"Bells, I'm not happy about this. Surely Edward or his uncle can find a way for you not to take the stand."

I went to argue with him, but Edward beat me to it. "Charlie, you're a man of the law, so you know as well as I do that I can't interfere with a prosecution case where the defendant is the son of one of our clients. It would give his defence team the perfect ammunition to request a mistrial due to conflict of interest."

"I suppose you're right, but you can't blame me for asking." Dad groused.

Standing firm, I eyeballed Charlie and repeated the resolution I made to myself the previous day. "Dad, I get you wanting to protect me, but I'm not a little girl anymore and I want James held accountable for his actions, so I will face him in court. I won't allow him to intimidate me any longer."

With a squeeze of my hand and a firm nod of his head, nothing else was said on the matter.

When we'd left Seattle, where we were going to be staying was not something that had been discussed, rather I'd just assumed that Edward would have made reservations or he would be on the couch because there was no way that my dad would allow us to share a bed under his roof. However, yet again, I was left dumbfounded when he suggested we bring our overnight bags into the house after the debris from dinner had been cleared. Before Edward could even set the luggage down in the hallway, he was instructed to take everything up to my room, and I was left wanting to scream "who are you and what have you done with Charlie?!"

Neither one of us had any intention of getting up to anything other than sleeping when we crawled under the covers of my old bed that night. The drive had been long and we were both exhausted. After only few whispered words of love for each other, we crashed, dead to the world.

It would have taken an earthquake to wake us.

Unfortunately the earthquake hit at the butt crack of dawn on Saturday morning, in the form of a forty something year old man thundering around the house.

"What the hell is that noise?" groaned Edward from beneath the pillow he'd dragged over his head when the cacophony commenced.

For me, it was something that was simply a familiar part of my father's Saturday routine when he wasn't on shift. A comforting warmth spread through me, as I thought about what I'd find when I made it downstairs into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"It will be over soon, I promise." I whispered, "Now come snuggle me, because I predict we've got about fifteen minutes until he leaves the house."

Tousled bronze hair peaked out from beneath the safety of the cushioned nest that Edward had created for himself, revealing one eye cracked open. "How do you know this? He said he wasn't working today."

A wry smile graced my lips. "Because, darling boyfriend, my father is a creature of habit. If he isn't protecting the good folk of Forks, then he's not going to waste prime fishing time."

Scooting toward me and pulling me into his strong toned arms, Edward kissed the top of my head gently before questioning, "Surely after getting me to deliver his only child to his doorstep, he'd want to spend time with you?"

His confusion was to be expected really. While I'd told him many things about my dad, and this was true of most people who met Charlie, it's not possible to truly know him until you've actually met him and witnessed him in his natural environment.

"Trust me, I'd be more worried if Dad stuck around to have breakfast with us. If he's maintaining his routine that tells me there's no major concern about what's going on with James. Plus, he likes you, otherwise you'd be sleeping on the couch. As long as there's no funny business in his house, he will be fine."

Revelling in the warmth of Edward's embrace, my leg moved up his thigh until I could curl my foot around the back of his toned calf, my nose grazed against the soft hair of his chest and I took a moment to just inhale his perfect scent. It was something that could only be described as infinitely Edward. The faint note of his aftershave, a little bit of the laundry detergent he uses, which make his clothes smell amazing, and a hint of warm post sleep manliness.

True to my prediction, fifteen minutes later the house resonated with the sound of the front door being slammed, followed by the equally loud driver's door on the cruiser being opened and closed, then the engine roared to life. I hadn't had a Saturday soundtrack like this since I'd been home for my last Spring Break during college.

With no clock on any of the walls, it was impossible to tell how long we remained curled up in my teenage bed. It could have been minutes, it might have been hours that we traded occasional kisses and gentle touches, nothing overtly sexual, just pure affection. Sadly, our time was interrupted by the simultaneous echo of my stomach rumbling and Edward's phone chiming on the dresser where it had been charging overnight.

"Uh-oh, the Kraken awakes!" He whispered with a light chuckle between tiny nibbles against my collarbone as the phone chimed several times again in quick succession.

I groaned at the unwelcome interruptions, "Well I'd argue that somebody wants your attention, Baby."

Peeling the covers back from my body, I eased myself out of the tiny bed, padding over to retrieve the offending piece of technology. I handed it off to Edward with a quick peck on his lips. "There's no point in me offering to make you breakfast, Sweetheart. I can promise you there's nothing in Charlie's fridge, so I'm gonna go take a shower while you see what's so important."

Showering and cleaning my teeth left me feeling massively refreshed and ready for the day. Upon entering my bedroom, Edward was still on the phone talking in hushed tones but it was evident that it was Esme he was talking with. Not wanting to interrupt their conversation too much, I signalled that I would head downstairs.

Entering the kitchen was like stepping back in time. Memories of school mornings spent at the faded table by the window, the varnish on the surface long worn and permanently peppered with stains from coffee cups; the dark rings telling the story of my high school years. On the bleached counter top was the anticipated scribbled note from Charlie, informing that he had indeed gone fishing with Billy and that he'd be home around four o'clock. Like some weird angling Groundhog Day, the message had an almost ritualistic quality to it, as though I'd never been party to Charlie's hobby of choice before. There was also an apology for there being nothing of any real nutritional value in the house along with twenty dollars to take Edward to the diner for breakfast.

Smiling to myself, I slipped the money into my pocket. The old man was nothing if not predictable, but he also had his moments of fatherly tenderness and I wouldn't change him for the world.

The telltale creak of the third to last step on the stairs alerted me to Edward's arrival.

I took a moment to just absorb the vision of my freshly showered lover, it was astounding just how good he looked. Most days were spent dressed in woefully expensive tailored suits, but today he was the epitome of cool and casual, totally contradicting the hotshot lawyer vibe. Distressed black slim fitting jeans were paired with a tight fitting black t-shirt and a pale grey linen shirt, left unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbow. The look was completed by his favourite battered Doc Martin's gracing his feet with laces untied.

It reminded me a little of that first night we'd met.

In a few long strides he had joined me, leaning against the countertop, his back to the cabinets. Bending to press a gentle kiss on my forehead, he inquired, "So what's the plan for this morning?"

Patting my pocket where the money from Charlie was safely tucked, I grinned. "I figured I'd get my hot boyfriend to play chauffeur in that fancy-pants car and take us to Forks' finest eating establishment for breakfast. Pancakes are on my dad."

Chuckling at my words, Edward jangled the car keys lightly before gesturing towards the front door. "Well let's get moving beautiful." 

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><p><strong>AN **

**Remember reviews = love, and I'm always interested to hear what you think about my writing, but please do keep it constructive, cos crying only leads to interruptions with my writing! lol**

**Until next time, much love to you all. **

**Lou xx**


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